Illegal border crossings have dropped to historic lows this month following President Trump’s intensified crackdown, according to newly released federal data. Early figures from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicate that only 359 illegal migrants are being processed daily at the southern border—a 90% decline from the same period last year, as reported by the New York Post.
Internal documents obtained by the Post reveal that CBP recorded 3,953 illegal migrant encounters through February 11. If this trend continues, total crossings for the month could fall near or below 10,000, a level not seen since April 2017, when approximately 11,000 individuals were apprehended—one of the lowest monthly totals in recent memory.
“That’s a very, very low number,” said John Gramlich, associate director at the Pew Research Center, emphasizing the sharp drop from 2024, when officers processed over 4,800 migrants per day. Mark Krikorian, the executive director at the Center for Immigration Studies, said, “If you kind of break down the numbers … we haven’t had numbers this low since the 1960s.” Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland in Terrell County, Texas, likewise called it a “relief,” noting the striking contrast with the high crossings previously seen in cooler months.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has intensified operations under President Trump’s crackdown, resulting in 11,000 arrests of illegal migrants within just 18 days. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks attributed the success to stronger leadership, stating that while agents “know how to secure the border,” they needed a commander in chief who would empower them.
Federal agencies have combined policy shifts with cooperation from Mexico, which deployed 10,000 troops to its northern border after the White House threatened significant tariffs unless tougher deterrence measures were implemented. Additionally, the administration has ended the “catch and release” policy, resumed deportation flights to Venezuela, and begun transferring certain criminal offenders to Guantanamo Bay. These measures mark a sharp break from previous approaches and have been credited by some officials with driving the dramatic decline in illegal border crossings.
