US Illegal Border Crossings Hit Five-Year Low

Published JAN 7 2025

Story

Above: A section of border fencing is seen on Jan. 2, 2025, in Sunland Park, Texas. Image credit: Brandon Bell/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Border Patrol recorded 47.3K migrant encounters along the US-Mexico border in December 2024, marking an 80% decrease from the 250K encounters in December 2023.
Stories
USA Today
The December 2024 figures also represent a significant drop from the 71K migrant arrests recorded during Trump's final month in office in December 2020, indicating the lowest levels in over four years.
Aristegui Noticias
Stories
The Biden administration implemented stricter asylum restrictions in June 2024, while establishing legal pathways through the CBP One app, which processes up to 1,450 appointments daily for asylum seekers.
USA Today
Around 280K migrants in Mexico use the CBP One app daily to schedule legal border crossings, highlighting strong demand for lawful entry. In November and December 2024, more migrants entered legally than were apprehended crossing illegally.
Stories
Reuters
The incoming Donald Trump administration has announced plans to combat illegal immigration and conduct deportations, with US Senator Lindsey Graham stating Sunday that Trump will need $100B to do so.
India Today
This comes as Mexico and Panama have increased their border enforcement measures in response to pressure from the Biden administration, contributing to the reduction in illegal crossings.
Aristegui Noticias
Voice of America

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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The Spin

Left narrative

Biden's border policies have drastically cut illegal crossings, with December seeing a record-low number of encounters and arrests. His asylum ban and deportation streamlining have set a new baseline for border control, ironically making it easier for Trump to enforce his proposed immigration policies. Trump's criticisms overlook that Biden's measures have already achieved much of what he aims to do.

The Independent

The New York Times

Right narrative

Pres. Biden has done anything but enforce immigration laws. New estimates say he allowed over 10M illegals into the country, displacing US workers and altering demographics. This influx has reduced jobs for Americans by nearly a million, using taxpayer money to fund an economy that undermines American culture, work ethic, and religious foundations, all while redistributing wealth from the middle to the top.

American Thinker