Illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border dropped significantly in January following President Donald Trump’s return to office and immediate crackdown on illegal immigration, according to newly released data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
CBP reported that just 61,465 illegal aliens were apprehended at the southern border in January, marking a 36% decrease from the previous month. The total includes 29,116 apprehensions along the border—the lowest since May 2020—and 32,349 at ports of entry.
The most dramatic decline came after Trump’s inauguration. From Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, border apprehensions dropped 85% compared to the same period in 2024, with encounters at ports of entry declining by 93%. This sharp reduction follows a period in which illegal crossings surged under the previous administration, averaging 141,710 encounters at the southern border in January.
In the three weeks before the inauguration, border agents apprehended more than 2,000 migrants daily. After Trump took office, that average fell to 786 per day.
Trump wasted no time in enforcing stricter border policies, signing executive orders that declared a national emergency at the border and authorized the deployment of active-duty military and National Guard troops to assist CBP. The administration has also used military planes to deport migrants, targeting gang members and violent offenders in particular. Additionally, it rescinded a policy that had previously restricted law enforcement actions at schools, churches, and courthouses.
CBP officials credit the policy changes with the swift drop in illegal crossings. “The men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are aggressively implementing the President’s Executive Orders to secure our borders,” said Pete Flores, acting CBP commissioner. “The reduction in illegal aliens attempting to make entry into the U.S., compounded by a significant increase in repatriations, means that more officers and agents are now able to conduct the enforcement duties that make our border more secure and our country safer.”
Border security efforts have intensified, with CBP and military personnel dramatically increasing patrols. November 2024 marked the first time in years that monthly border apprehensions fell below 100,000, a trend that has continued under Trump’s renewed enforcement actions.
With these policies in place, the administration is positioning itself as tough on illegal immigration, seeking to maintain record-low border crossings in the months ahead.
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