Categories: Donald Trump

Trump’s border crackdown slashes illegal crossings to record low

Border patrol agents patrol along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Texas border, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in McAllen, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Just three weeks into Donald Trump’s renewed presidency, illegal border crossings have dropped to their lowest levels in 60 years.

Sharp Decline in Migrant Apprehensions

Only 359 migrants per day were apprehended in February after illegally crossing the border, marking a 90 percent decline compared to the first half of the previous year. The internal data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was leaked to the New York Post.

If this trend continues, February could record the lowest number of border crossings since the 1960s. Projections estimate that fewer than 10,000 migrants will enter the U.S. this month—an unprecedented low since CBP began tracking monthly border crossings in 1999.

Biden’s Border Crisis in Numbers

For comparison, under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, February 2021—the first full month of his presidency—saw an average of 5,333 illegal crossings per day. That number climbed to 6,423 in 2022, then slightly dropped to 5,590 in 2023, and finally fell to 2,872 at the start of last year, after Biden introduced emergency measures to curb the surge.

Pedestrians cross the International bridge, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Hidalgo, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Trump Delivers on Key Immigration Promise

Trump appears to have successfully delivered on one of his key campaign promises: putting an end to the mass migration crisis that spiraled under Biden.

The Pentagon has deployed 1,500 troops to the Rio Grande and other border regions. Meanwhile, Trump’s threat of imposing 25 percent tariffs on all Mexican imports led to an agreement with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum (62). In response, Mexico deployed 10,000 troops to stop migrant caravans before they reach the U.S. border. Trump also reinstated the policy requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting their case outcomes.

ICE Raids and Mass Deportations

Additionally, large-scale ICE raids targeting criminal undocumented immigrants have been broadcast on TV, reinforcing Trump’s hardline stance. Since his inauguration on January 20, more than 11,000 individuals have been arrested and deported, many via military transport planes.

Some deportees have even been sent to Guantánamo Bay, the infamous military detention center known for housing 9/11 terrorists.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.