Washington.- The number of migrants crossing the southern border has dropped significantly since the Biden administration imposed severe restrictions on asylum last month.
In June, more than 83,000 migrants crossed the border illegally, according to U.S. border officials, down from 117,000 in May and the lowest monthly total since January 2021.
This decrease in crossings has continued in July.
The average daily number of border encounters over the past week was less than 1,900 as of Monday, according to a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The sharp decline coincides with the implementation of a June policy banning asylum at the southern border, as well as increased cooperation from Mexican authorities beginning this year.
But this comes at a time when the country’s attention is focused on questions surrounding President Biden’s continued candidacy in this year’s presidential election and the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.
The political benefits of strict border measures could be fleeting.
And as a harsher view of illegal immigration has taken hold among many Americans, polls suggest Trump’s hard line could resonate with undecided voters, including some Hispanic Americans.
Although if the numbers remain stable, that would result in the month of July recording 60,000 crossings, which are figures that were seen at the end of the Trump administration.
The decline in recent months has been particularly marked compared to the peak at the end of last year: in December alone, around 250,000 migrant apprehensions were reported.
A senior Customs and Border Protection official said increased border enforcement has made a difference.
He also pointed to the ability of migrants to have options other than crossing the border illegally, such as gaining entry into the country through a request on a government app.
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