Trump’s crackdown drives border crossings down
The Department of Homeland Security says President Donald Trump’s return to office has brought a major shift at the southern border. According to figures shared by DHS, more than 3 million illegal immigrants have left the United States during Trump’s first year back in office. That total includes an estimated 2.2 million people who chose to leave on their own.
DHS also says the administration has deported nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants and arrested more than 900,000 others as of May 17. Officials are pointing to those numbers as proof that a tougher enforcement strategy is changing how migrants view the border and the interior of the country.
One tool the administration has pushed is the CBP Home app, which lets migrants in the country illegally arrange a voluntary departure with travel help and, in some cases, financial support. DHS says that approach costs less than a standard deportation case and is meant to give people a clear off-ramp if they leave voluntarily.
The White House has also leaned hard into the message that the era of catch-and-release is over. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said last week that Border Patrol had gone a full year without releasing illegal immigrants straight into the U.S. interior after an arrest at the border. CBP also reported 8,943 apprehensions at the southwest border in April, a 94% drop from the Biden-era monthly average and 96% below the December 2023 peak.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the tougher posture is driving the decline. The administration says tighter asylum rules, more ICE activity, and expanded interior enforcement are all part of the slowdown. Immigration analysts largely agree that crossings are down, though some question how DHS is counting certain departures and removals. Either way, the numbers show a border that looks very different from just a year ago.