In April, arrests for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border dropped by over 6%, marking the fourth-lowest month of the Biden administration, according to Border Report. This decrease defies the typical spring surge in crossings.
U.S. authorities attribute the decline largely to increased enforcement in Mexico, including actions in areas where migrants board freight trains. According to Mexico’s foreign relations secretary, Alicia Barcena, Mexico has capped illegal crossings to the U.S. at 4,000 per day, a significant reduction from the over 10,000 daily arrests seen by Border Patrol in December.
In April, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 128,900 arrests, down from 137,480 in March and significantly lower than the record-high 249,737 in December. While the numbers remain historically high, the sharp decrease since late December is positive news for President Joe Biden as he faces scrutiny on immigration in election-year polls.
Troy Miller, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, credited the drop to increased enforcement efforts, including deportations, and enhanced cooperation with other countries. “As a result of this increased enforcement, southwest border encounters have not increased, bucking previous trends. We will remain vigilant to continually shifting migration patterns,” Miller said.
Additionally, in April, 41,400 people were granted entry to the U.S. at land crossings with Mexico through an online appointment app called CBP One, bringing the total to over 591,000 since its launch in January 2023.
The U.S. also allows up to 30,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to enter monthly if they apply online with a financial sponsor and arrive by commercial flights. By April, about 435,000 people had entered the U.S. through this method, including 91,000 Cubans, 166,700 Haitians, 75,700 Nicaraguans, and 101,200 Venezuelans.
