Arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico dropped by 33% in July, reaching the lowest level since September 2020, due to the temporary suspension of asylum, authorities reported on Friday. The Border Patrol recorded 56,408 arrests last month, a significant decline from the 83,536 arrests made in June, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The suspension of asylum at the border on June 5 was a response to daily illegal crossing arrests exceeding 2,500. Despite this measure, enforcement officials lack deportation flights to turn away all individuals. This move led to a 55% decrease in arrests, following a previous sharp decline this year attributed to increased enforcement by Mexican authorities within their borders.
Acting CBP commissioner Troy Miller stated, “In July, our border security measures enhanced our ability to deliver consequences for illegal entry.” These numbers, consistent with preliminary estimates, may provide some relief for Democrats amid ongoing immigration challenges during President Joe Biden’s administration.
The White House spokesperson, Angelo Fernández Hernández, praised the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions, contrasting them with the perceived inaction of Republicans. In another development, over 38,000 individuals entered through land crossings using an online appointment system called CBP One, bringing the total to over 765,000 since its launch in January 2023.
Furthermore, more than 520,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were admitted by July under a separate policy allowing applicants from these countries to apply online with a financial sponsor and arrive at an airport. However, permits were recently paused due to concerns about sponsor-related fraud.
The Department of Homeland Security stated its commitment to swiftly resume processing applications with necessary safeguards. U.S. Rep. Mark Green, Republican chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Biden administration’s new legal pathways and expanded policies at the border. Green expressed concerns about the administration’s tactics that encourage otherwise ineligible individuals to enter at ports of entry, potentially burdening communities while creating a facade of improved border optics.