The number of illegal immigrants crossing into the United States from Mexico dropped dramatically during President Trump’s first month in office, Homeland Security chief John Kelly said Wednesday evening.
While the border wall promised by Trump during the 2016 campaign will take another two years to materialize, Secretary Kelly said last month, the level of illegal immigration into the US across the southern frontier declined sharply over the 30 days beginning with Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.
According to Secretary Kelly, illegal border crossings from Mexico into the US fell from 31,578 to just 18,762 – the lowest level in five years.
What makes the decrease more striking, however, is its timing. Kelly pointed out that the time period in question – late January through February – typically sees a 10% to 20% rise.
Secretary Kelly attributed the decline to the Trump administration’s heightened enforcement of immigration laws.
“The drop in apprehensions shows a marked change in trends,” the Secretary said. “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.”