EXCLUSIVE: Southern border numbers continue to be significantly lower compared with the previous administration with record low numbers, according to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection data obtained by Fox News.
Between June 1 and June 22, there have been 5,414 apprehensions at the border, with the busiest sector being El Paso. During that same timeframe, there have been 986 known “gotaways.” Both numbers are the lowest ever recorded.
In May, there were just under 9,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the border, compared with roughly 118,000 the year prior under the Biden administration by CBP.
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The number began to tick down slightly in June of last year with 83,532 migrant encounters, then just roughly 56,000 in July 2024, but the numbers are still much higher than what is being seen under the current administration.
The decrease last year was the result of an order signed by former President Joe Biden to regulate crossings into the U.S., even though migrant encounters were extraordinarily high for three years prior.
When President Donald Trump took office in January, the first 11 days saw only 9,086 encounters, and then the numbers have been roughly similar or lower since then.
In 2023, there were points when roughly 10,000 migrants were crossing into the U.S. illegally daily, as many people were able to apply for asylum through the CBP One app.
Gotaway numbers are now averaging 46 per day, compared to the average of 1,833 per day at one point under Biden in 2023.
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The CBP One app was quickly turned into the CBP Home app by the Trump administration, and it is now used for “non-criminal” individuals who seek to self-deport. The Department of Homeland Security is offering a $1,000 stipend and free travel out of the U.S. for those who opt to leave on their own.
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Meanwhile, deportation efforts have been underway by the administration, with protests and even riots taking place in Los Angeles and throughout the country earlier this month. On the messaging front, DHS and ICE have primarily touted the arrests of people with criminal charges and convictions.
In terms of long-term efforts, the administration is touting the border and immigration provisions in the reconciliation bill in the Senate, including hiring more federal authorities and funding for more beds in detention centers.