Border arrests hit lowest mark since last time Trump was in office, White House says

Apprehensions at the U.S. southern border hit a low mark not seen since the last time President Donald Trump was in office.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended just 29,116 illegal immigrants along the southern border during the month of January, down from 47,000 in December and hitting a low mark not seen since May 2020, when 32,349 arrests were made at ports of entry, according to a White House press release.

Overall, CBP apprehended 61,465 illegal immigrants at the southern border in January, down 36% from the prior month, the release notes, citing new CP data.

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The numbers, which were shared with ABC News, shifted even more dramatically after Trump took office, with apprehensions falling 85% between Jan. 21 and 31, an 85% reduction from the same time period in 2024.

The numbers continue a string of news showing reductions in attempted border crossings under Trump, including a Fox News report last week that revealed the daily average of known gotaways – illegal immigrants who enter the U.S. while avoiding arrest – have fallen to just 132 per day since the beginning of February, at 93% reduction from the highs seen under former President Joe Biden.

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The improving numbers at the border seemingly began in the first few days of the Trump administration, including a 35% reduction in Border Patrol encounters during the first three days of the new administration compared to the final three days under Biden.

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“During the previous administration, the average number of illegal aliens encountered at the southern border in January was 141,710 – the result of dangerous policies that ferried illegal aliens directly into our communities, where they were allowed to stay indefinitely,” reads the White House release. “Now, under President Trump, illegal border crossings are at record lows as illegal aliens are promptly arrested and sent home.”