Importance Score: 80 / 100 🔴
Illegal border incursions along the US-Mexico frontier remained close to all-time lows in April, experiencing only a modest rise from the preceding months, according to preliminary statistics obtained by The Post.
Sharp Decline in Migrant Encounters
Fewer than 10,000 individuals were apprehended by federal officers while attempting to traverse the southern frontier unlawfully in April. This constitutes a 93% reduction from the over 128,000 people who entered the country surreptitiously in April 2020, according to Border Patrol data.
The figures indicate that President Trump’s stringent border enforcement measures—a central campaign pledge—have significantly diminished the inflow of unauthorized migrants entering the US.
Monthly Trends in Unauthorized Border Crossings
April’s statistics follow February’s reports of approximately 8,300 illegal migrants and March’s count of just 7,100 individuals—both marking the lowest figures in at least a quarter-century.
These lower numbers persist despite initial spikes under the Biden administration, where daily apprehensions sometimes surpassed the monthly totals observed recently.
Views from the Ground
The most substantial single-day tally of unlicensed migrant encounters in April reached fewer than 450 individuals, according to internal sources.
Manuel Bayon, the president of the National Border Patrol Council’s San Diego sector chapter, relayed to The Post that he has “never witnessed” such low figures “during my over 25 years of service with Border Patrol.”
Administrative Actions and Border Security
Upon reassuming office, Trump declared a state of emergency at the border, deploying thousands of troops to the area. He also rescinded the “catch and release” policy utilized by the previous administration, which allowed countless unauthorized migrants to enter the US unimpeded.
ICE Operations and Deportations
Despite the tranquil border conditions, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been vigorously executing Trump’s mass expulsion initiatives.
Within his first hundred days in office, ICE detained over 66,000 unauthorized immigrants and expelled more than 65,000 individuals, as per agency reports.
Agents’ Perspective on Enforcement
Acting ICE director Todd Lyons emphasized in a recent statement, “Just 100 days into this administration, and thanks to President Trump and Secretary Nunes, ICE is leveraging every available resource to uphold our nation’s immigration laws and safeguard our communities.”