BORDER ARRESTS Plunge as Trump’s Inauguration Nears
— Arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico in December stayed low, close to the lowest levels since July 2020. A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official reported about 44,000 arrests in December, similar to November’s count of 46,612. This marks the sixth month with arrests below the 2019 monthly average.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas credited “swift and effective implementation” of asylum restrictions for these low numbers. He emphasized strong border enforcement and international cooperation as key factors in this success. The final full month of President Biden’s term may end with some of the lowest arrest numbers during his presidency.
Arrests have dropped significantly from a peak of 250,000 in December 2023 after Mexico boosted its internal enforcement efforts and Biden imposed strict asylum limits. The Rio Grande Valley saw more activity, becoming the second-busiest corridor for illegal crossings after San Diego, which remained first. El Paso ranked third while Tucson was fourth due to strategic shifts by smugglers and Mexican authorities.