Robert Besser
23 Feb 2025, 21:37 GMT+10
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Border Patrol arrested 29,000 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in January, the agency said this week.
This is the lowest number of arrests since May 2020 and a significant drop from 47,000 in December.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, took office on January 20 and quickly introduced strict immigration policies. He sent more troops to help secure the border, blocked migrants from seeking asylum, and increased deportations of those already in the U.S.
Before Trump, former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, faced record-high border crossings, reaching 250,000 arrests in December 2023. In June 2024, Biden introduced new rules limiting asylum claims for illegal crossings and worked with Mexico to reduce migration. This led to fewer arrests while also allowing some migrants legal entry through new programs.
Acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said that with fewer crossings, border officers could focus more on enforcing security and making the country safer.
Despite the drop in arrests, Trump canceled some of Biden's legal entry programs, including an app called CBP One, which helped migrants schedule legal entry appointments. Many migrants who had appointments were left stranded in Mexico, unsure of what to do next.
Get a daily dose of Memphis Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Memphis Sun.
More InformationTOKYO, Japan: Japan's hopes for a foothold in commercial lunar exploration suffered a second blow this week after Tokyo-based startup...
MOSCOW, Russia: Russia's principal security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), has accused British intelligence of using the...
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will not ease its strict biosecurity rules during trade talks with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony...
The Israeli Navy has intercepted a ship carrying humanitarian aid and a number of activists including Greta Thunberg, Rima Hassan,...
TOKYO, Japan: Japan's demographic challenges intensified in 2024, with the number of births falling to another all-time low—underscoring...
BEIJING, China: A little-known office inside China's Ministry of Commerce has become a powerful chokepoint in the global auto and tech...
BERN, Switzerland: UBS faces a sweeping new capital requirement from the Swiss government, which this week proposed changes that could...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: At a Walmart Supercenter in New Jersey, buttercream borders and edible-ink cartoons aren't just about sweet...
NEW YORK, New York - Wall Street delivered a split performance on Monday, with the Nasdaq Composite notching up gains while the Dow...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Luxury group Kering is in exclusive discussions to sell a stake in its prime New York real estate asset on...
CINCINNATI, Ohio: Facing global economic headwinds and mounting tariff pressures, Procter & Gamble announced plans this week to cut...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Tesla saw a sharp decline in sales across several major European markets in May, marking its fifth consecutive...