It is remarkable how the empowering words of an American president can address numerous challenges. Following four years characterized by what many consider the most ineffective border policy in the history of the United States, which resulted in a crisis-level surge of crossings at the Southern border, President Donald Trump has implemented significant changes.
Data from Customs and Border Protection indicates a dramatic 90 percent decrease in border crossings compared to the same timeframe last year, with only 359 illegal migrants being processed daily, as reported by The New York Post.
“This trend positions the United States to potentially experience the lowest monthly border crossings in at least 25 years. Should this pattern persist, the influx of illegal migrants could reach levels not observed since 1968, nearly six decades ago,” the report stated.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, informed The Post that the current border crossing figures represent the lowest levels seen in the United States “in almost a lifetime.”
“Analyzing the numbers on a daily basis reveals that we have not experienced such low figures since the 1960s. We are indeed witnessing 60-year lows, provided this trend continues,” the executive director remarked.
The data revealed that by February 11, only 3,953 illegal migrants had been encountered at the southern border, suggesting that if this trend continues, the total for the month could reach approximately 10,000—a figure that has not been recorded since the Customs and Border Protection began monitoring this data in 1999.
Notably, the closest this number approached 10,000 was in April 2017, during President Trump’s first term, when monthly crossings exceeded 11,000, according to the report.
“That is an exceptionally low figure,” stated John Gramlich, associate director at the Pew Research Center.
At the same time last year, the average daily encounters at the southern border were around 4,850. Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland of Terrell County, Texas, mentioned to The Post that his office typically receives numerous calls regarding illegal migrant crossings during this season due to colder weather, but this year has been markedly different.
It is a source of relief, he remarked. “We have transitioned from one extreme to another, witnessing unprecedented numbers of individuals crossing the border alongside historically low apprehension rates. This is quite astonishing.”
A Border Patrol representative informed The Post that the shift in culture is evident, indicating that migrants have received the message clearly. “In recent weeks, a clear signal has been communicated that the border will no longer be overrun, and that national security is a serious matter for us,” they stated.
Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who appeared on “Fox & Friends,” credited the outcomes to a change in leadership. “The U.S. Border Patrol is equipped to fulfill its duties. We possess the knowledge required to secure the border,” the chief asserted. “What we needed was a president willing to empower us—a strong leader like President Trump—and a secretary like Secretary Noem, who understands precisely what actions are necessary to ensure border security,” he added.
This improvement is likely also attributed to the leadership of border czar Tom Homan, who is actively engaged in the role and has made it clear that leaking information regarding raids will not be tolerated.
Homan stated that the FBI had leaked details about forthcoming raids targeting illegal immigrants and warned that those responsible would face legal consequences. “We suspect the leaks are originating from within,” he remarked during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, referring to media leaks concerning recent ICE operations in Colorado.
He further indicated that the FBI was responsible for leaking information about a significant raid planned in California before the month’s end, stating, “Some of the information we are receiving appears to be linked to the FBI.”
Homan expressed concern that it was “only a matter of time” before these leaks jeopardized officers’ safety, suggesting that “criminal elements” might be anticipating the officers’ arrival to set traps for them.
When Hannity inquired about Homan’s confidence in the FBI’s involvement, the border czar responded, “I spoke with the deputy attorney general this week, and they have initiated a criminal investigation.”
