The Latest on Illegal Border Crossings from Mexico
SAN DIEGO – Arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico during August are expected to rise slightly from July, according to officials. This comes after five straight months of declines.
Authorities made about 54,000 arrests through Thursday, and at the current rate, the August total is projected to be around 58,000 by the end of the month. This information was shared by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials who preferred to remain anonymous.
The decrease in arrests began after a record number of 250,000 in December. U.S. officials attributed this decline to increased enforcement by Mexican authorities. Arrests further decreased after President Joe Biden suspended asylum processing in June. In July, arrests hit a 46-month low at 56,408 and remained steady in August.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called on Congress to support legislation that would address asylum processing thresholds and reform asylum claim procedures. President Biden’s actions have resulted in the lowest number of encounters at the Southwest border since September 2020.
The decrease in illegal crossings is seen as positive news for the White House and Vice President Kamala Harris. However, there are criticisms from both immigration advocates who believe asylum restrictions are too harsh and enforcement supporters who feel Biden’s new legal paths for entry are too generous.
In addition to the decrease in illegal border crossings, more than 765,000 people entered the U.S. legally by the end of July using the CBP One app, with an additional 520,000 from select nationalities allowed entry through airports. Notably, flights for Colombians and Ecuadoreans were reduced due to deportation efforts to those countries, while Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras remained the top three nationalities for arrests.
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