New Numbers: Illegal Border Crossings Plummet for the Eighth Month in a Row

Katie Pavlich | February 11, 2020 1:40 PM

Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan announced Tuesday morning illegal border crossings are down for the eighth month in a row.

“We continue to see positive results because of the steps taken by the Trump Administration to control the border and uphold the rule of law,” Morgan said. “We’ve seen eight straight months of decline, but as we see from the seizure of the longest-ever tunnel between the U.S. and Mexico and significant drug seizures, much work remains. We hope that Congress will finally act to address the ongoing crisis on the Southwest border and pass meaningful legislation to strengthen our immigration system.”

On the Southwest border, CBP conducted 36,679 total enforcement actions in January, including 29,200 apprehensions and 7,479 inadmissibility decisions. This includes an 11% decline in USBP apprehensions from December. Read more: https://t.co/5hSztnEUxz pic.twitter.com/CqnNJ3Ake2
— CBP (@CBP) February 11, 2020

For the 8th straight month, CBP enforcement actions along the Southwest border are down.

CBP enforcement on the SW border decreased by 10% in January as compared to Dec., representing a 74.5% decrease since the peak of the crisis in May 2019.

Stats: https://t.co/9w5FfryPLt pic.twitter.com/vOYvE5ZQEQ
— CBP (@CBP) February 11, 2020

But while the numbers are down, Morgan stressed the need for Congress to help CBP with their mission.

"We hope that Congress will finally act to address the ongoing crisis on the Southwest border and pass meaningful legislation to strengthen our immigration system," he said.

In the meantime, construction of President Trump's border wall continues.