- U.S. Customs and Border Protection released March numbers on illegal crossings at the southern border. The figures indicate the U.S. experienced the lowest number of crossings since 2000.
- Commissioner Pete Flores credited the Trump administration’s decisive action on border security with restoring control.
- Flores emphasized that the border is closed to illegal crossings, and those caught will be prosecuted and deported.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is out with the latest figures on illegal crossings, saying March numbers show the most secure border in history. The data shows the lowest recorded southwest border crossings, dating back to 2000.
What do the figures show?
Border Patrol data indicates 7,180 crossings, surpassing the previous low of 8,347 in February. This marks a significant decrease from the average monthly rate of 155,000 recorded over the past four years.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, the administration has taken bold, decisive action to restore control at the border. Border patrol agents are empowered like never before to shut down unlawful entry and protect American lives,” Acting Commissioner Pete Flores said.
What steps has the Trump administration taken to reduce illegal crossings?
President Donald Trump has taken many steps to curb illegal immigration since his inauguration in January. In declaring a national emergency, he deployed military troops to the southern border, implemented a comprehensive ban on asylum and directed the Pentagon to provide facilities for detainees.
The president has reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring non-Mexican migrants to wait in Mexico while the United States processes their cases.
Additionally, the administration has discontinued a Biden administration program, which previously allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the U.S. legally by scheduling appointments through the CBP One app. Officials have now canceled those appointments.
In early tariff negotiations with the White House, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 Mexican troops to the border to prevent illegal crossings.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently toured the prison in El Salvador where flights landed carrying deportees, which the administration insists includes many members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. A court dispute is ongoing to determine if those flights were legal under the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.
What happens from here?
Flores stated that the message is clear: the border is closed to illegal crossings, and those who are caught will be prosecuted and deported.
