Illegal crossings at US southern border down in 1st month of Trump presidency

The number of illegal crossings at the southern US border went down 40 percent in the first month of US President Donald Trump being in office, the US Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) revealed. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr)

MOSCOW—The number of illegal crossings at the southern US border went down 40 percent in the first month of US President Donald Trump being in office, the US Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) revealed.

“From January to February, the flow of illegal border crossings as measured by apprehensions and the prevention of inadmissible persons at our southern border dropped by 40 percent,” CBP said on Wednesday.

The agency specified that usually it registers a 10-20 percent increase in illegal border crossings in January-February.

“Since the Administration’s implementation of Executive Orders to enforce immigration laws, apprehensions and inadmissible activity is trending toward the lowest monthly total in at least the last five years,” CBP said.

The agency pointed out that in the last months leading up to Trump’s inauguration, there was a 35 percent increase in the apprehensions of illegal immigrants, as compared to the previous fiscal year.

“However, since President Trump took office on January 20, we have seen a dramatic drop in numbers,” CBP stressed, adding that, in addition, “we are seeing an increase in the fees charged by human smugglers along the U.S. southwest border.”

Trump has issued three executive orders aimed at curbing illegal immigration, including measures to increase deportations and build a wall along the border with Mexico.

The executive order on the construction of the wall, a plan that was central to Trump’s presidential campaign, was signed on January 25.