The latest numbers on the border released Monday showed that arrests of illegal crossers at the US southern border fell by 29% in June.
This makes June the lowest month for arrests in the entire Biden presidency. The number drop comes after a June 4 executive action by the president which severely limited asylum processing at the border.
Arrest Numbers
In a national media statement, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) released the June numbers for migrant encounters and arrests, which showed a significant decline.
“Recent border security measures have made a meaningful impact on our ability to impose consequences for those crossing unlawfully, leading to a decline of 29% in U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions from May to June, with a more than 50% drop in the seven day average from the announcement to the end of the month, and doubling the rate at which we removed noncitizens from U.S. Border Patrol custody in June,” said Troy A. Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner.
Unaccompanied Children
CBP described in their statement an observed decrease in the numbers of unaccompanied children, single adults, and family unit individuals.
“The number of unaccompanied children encountered by CBP along the southwest border in June 2024, including individuals who presented at ports of entry without a CBP One appointment, decreased 14% compared to May 2024, decreased 28% compared to May for single adults, and decreased 36% for family unit individuals,” said the CBP.
Drug Seizures
The CBP also reported a decrease in observed drug seizures at the border compared to May.
“Nationwide in June, seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana combined by weight decreased by 17% compared to May,” the CBP statement said.
DHS Reaction
In a statement by the Department of Homeland Security, the department praised President Biden’s actions for cutting encounters at the Southwest border by over 50 percent in six weeks.
“The Presidential Proclamation issued by President Biden to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the Southern border – including the southwest land and southern coastal borders – and the complementary joint interim final rule (IFR) issued by DHS and DOJ have now been in effect for six weeks, helping reduce the number of encounters at our Southwest Border by more than 50 percent,” said the DHS.
Biden’s Previous Action
The action from Biden that was credited by the DHS to the change in the situation at the border took place in early June.
Under pressure to secure the border from a wave of migrant crossings, Biden issued an executive order that temporarily suspended the processing of most asylum claims, something that serves as an incentive for people to cross into the United States.
What is an Asylum Claim?
Immigrants trying to enter America can apply for what is known as an asylum claim. Under this claim, an immigrant asserts that if they were deported back to their home country they would experience intense persecution or other adverse consequences.
Previously, the Biden administration accepted more than half a million migrants through programs in what was reported as a historic expansion of legal immigration.
Biden’s Previous Stance
On the campaign trail ahead of the 2020 election, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden promised to absorb millions of asylum seekers if he became president.
“The fact is that, look, we should not be locking people up,” Biden said at a June 2019 Democratic primary debate. “We should be making sure we change the circumstance – as we did – why they would leave in the first place. And those who come seeking asylum, we should immediately have the capacity to absorb them, keep them safe until they can be heard.”
Change in Tune
However, a large wave of migration started to crash against the U.S. southern border during his presidency, and Biden started to gradually change his tune of wanting to accept so many of them.
Biden, who once denied there was any problem at the border, was suddenly trying to figure out a plan to secure it.
Reason for Fall in Arrests
While the Biden administration is taking credit for the fall in arrests because of the recent executive action, AP reports that U.S. officials are largely crediting increased enforcement from Mexican authorities.
This year, an increase in Mexican enforcement actions employed harsh tactics to tire out migrants amid pressure to prevent millions of people from making the difficult journey north to the US border.
Call to Congress
The DHS statement credited the President’s action for the positive results but also insisted that a permanent solution is needed from Congress.
“While the President’s action has led to significant results, our nation’s immigration system requires Congressional action to provide needed resources and durable authorities. Twice now, Congress has failed to pass the bipartisan border security agreement negotiated in the U.S. Senate, which would provide the critical personnel and funding needed to further secure our Southern border,” the DHS said.
Legislative Battle
For years, efforts to fund and secure the border have been ongoing in the United States Congress as disagreements between political parties remain high.
In February, Republicans spearheaded by Donald Trump killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have also secured funding for Ukraine.
