29 Thousand Illegal Migrants On US-Mexico Border Arrested

JAKARTA - US Border Patrol arrested 29,000 migrants illegally crossing the US-Mexico border in January.

This figure shows the decline in the number of crossings over the past year could continue under President Donald Trump's administration.

As reported by Reuters on Tuesday, February 18, the number of arrests in January was the lowest level since May 2020 and fell from 47,000 in December, according to US Border Customs and Protection figures.

Trump issued a series of executive orders after taking office on January 20 to crack down on illegal immigration, increase military forces to assist border security and block migrants from seeking asylum.

At the same time, he took steps to increase the deportation of migrants already in the US.

Former President Joe Biden has previously struggled with a record number of migrants caught across the border, a trend that peaked in 250,000 arrests in December 2023.

Biden in June 2024 restricted the ability of illegally crossing migrants to seek asylum and cooperate with Mexico and other countries to limit illegal immigration, leading to a drastic drop in the number of arrests.

At the same time, Biden opened a new legitimate entry program that his government said did not encourage illegal crossings.

Pete Flores, acting commissioner of CBP, said less crossings mean more officers and agents can now carry out law enforcement tasks that make our borders safer and our country safer.

The decline in migrant arrests in January came even when Trump ended several of Biden's official entry programs.

The program includes a program that allows migrants in Mexico to use an application known as CBP One to schedule an appointment to request an official entry permit.

Trump's sudden termination of app-based programs makes migrants who already have a meeting appointment stranded in Mexico and unsure about the next steps.