- Illegal border crossings dropped significantly in February, with U.S. Border Patrol apprehending 8,300 migrants, according to Axios. This marked the lowest number since fiscal year 2000.
- President Trump praised the drop on Truth Social, calling it “the lowest number of illegal immigrants in history.”
- Meanwhile, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted the success of a recent ICE operation targeting gang members.
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Illegal border crossings decreased significantly in February, President Donald Trump’s first full month in office, according to data obtained by Axios. Statistics reveal that U.S. Border Patrol officers apprehended 8,300 migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between ports of entry during the 28-day period.
On his social media site, Truth Social, Trump stated in part that February “had the lowest number of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country in history – by far!” adding, “This means that very few people came – the invasion of our country is over.”
February’s figures are the lowest since fiscal year 2000, which is as far back as the data goes.
How does it compare to the previous administration?
Under the Biden administration, there were 189,913 encounters in February 2024 and 156,630 encounters in February 2023, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection numbers.
It wasn’t until former President Joe Biden signed an executive order in June 2024 that the number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally began to decrease.
Trump makes good on campaign promises
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to crack down on immigration. On the first day of his second term, Trump shut down the CBP One app, which had helped migrants seeking asylum gain travel access to the United States while awaiting approval.
The Trump administration is attempting to carry out the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. According to data obtained by The New York Times, there have been nearly 23,000 arrests and 18,000 deportations since Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, March 4, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem participated in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Northern Virginia. She said the operation was “successful.”
“This morning, we’re going after MS-13 gang members, 18th Street gang members, bad dudes,” Noem said. “Getting them off the street thanks to all these officers putting their lives at risk to work in our task forces to make our streets safe.”
