The number of Border Patrol arrests of people illegally crossing into the United States fell in May to the third lowest of any month during Biden’s presidency, and preliminary figures released Thursday show encounters with migrants have dropped even more in the roughly two weeks since the president announced new asylum restrictions.
The results are likely to be good news for the White House, which has been straining to demonstrate to people concerned about immigration that it has control of the southern border. However, the number of people crossing the border is frequently in flux, depending on situations in nations far from the United States and smugglers who profit from worldwide migration.
In May, Border Patrol arrested 117,900 people who entered the nation between established border crossing locations, according to a news release from Customs and Border Protection. The figure is 9% lower than in April, according to the agency. According to early data, arrests have decreased by 25% after President Joe Biden announced restrictions on asylum admission on June 4.
“Our enforcement actions continue to diminish southwest border encounters. But the fact is that our immigration system is not equipped to handle what we are seeing,” said Troy A. Miller, CBP’s acting director.
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The United States has also benefited from tough border enforcement on the Mexican side, as Mexican officials have been fighting to keep migrants from reaching the US-Mexico border.
The findings are part of CBP’s monthly release of data on immigration, trade, and narcotics seizures. The immigration data are keenly scrutinized during a period of heightened political scrutiny about who is entering the nation and whether the Biden administration is in control of the situation.
Immigration is a major concern for voters, with many believing Biden hasn’t done enough to safeguard the country’s borders. Former President Donald Trump, the anticipated Republican presidential nominee, has made immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, stating that he will deport those in the country illegally in large numbers and take other measures to restrict immigration.
After Biden unveiled his plan to restrict asylum access at the southern border, opponents sued, arguing that it was no different from a similar attempt under Trump.
Source: apnews.com
