Illegal U.S. border crossings decline for 8th consecutive month

Vehicle traveling along wall topped with wire (© Charlie Riedel/AP Images)
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle patrols the U.S. side of the border wall that separates Mexico from Arizona. (© Charlie Riedel/AP Images)

Illegal border crossings at the U.S. southern border are in decline for the eighth month in a row and down approximately 75 percent since May 2019, according to a recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) report.

“The results have been nothing short of extraordinary,” President Trump said on February 14 to National Border Patrol Council members. “We’re removing illegal border crossers at a tremendous pace and making it clear that if you break our laws, you will be sent back home.”

Photo of Trump near plane and quote about immigrants (White House/Tia Dufour)

These statistics reflect the Trump administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration. The president plans for a wall on the southern U.S. border to reach more than 640 kilometers by the end of 2020. So far, there are nearly 200 newly constructed kilometers.

In addition to curbing illegal immigration, CBP says that it seized a record number of narcotics in 2019. In January 2020, it seized nearly 24,500 kilograms of drugs nationwide, more than 92% of it from along the U.S. southwest border.

CBP also discovered the longest cross-border tunnel in history, used to traffic drugs before CBP shut it down.

“Under my administration, we know that border security is national security,” Trump said.