President Trump has broken his own record for border success, with the Department of Homeland Security reporting historically low numbers of unauthorized migrants trying to get into the U.S. in June.
On one day last week, Border Patrol agents found just 137 illegal immigrants trying to cross the southern border. That’s the lowest single-day total in a quarter century and compares to days during the Biden administration that regularly topped 10,000 people a day.
And for the second straight month, no illegal immigrant nabbed by the Border Patrol was caught and released, Homeland Security said.
During the Biden years, it was common to have the majority of crossers released.
“The numbers don’t lie — under President Trump’s leadership, DHS and CBP have shattered records and delivered the most secure border in American history,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “The world is hearing our message: The border is closed to lawbreakers.”
Nationwide — including the northern and southern boundaries, the maritime borders and airports — Customs and Border Protection recorded 25,243 unauthorized migrants trying to enter. That’s 12% lower than the previous record that Mr. Trump set in February, and is 89% lower than the average for the Biden years.
Border Patrol agents arrested 6,070 people sneaking in from Mexico, which is by far the lowest figure in monthly records dating back to the 1990s.
Last June, under President Biden, agents had arrested 7,000 people in just the first two days of the month.
White House border czar Tom Homan called it the “Trump effect.”
“We have never seen numbers this low,” said Mr. Homan, a former Border Patrol agent and later head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He said the low numbers are a result of both stiffer border controls and Mr. Trump’s push for mass deportations from within the U.S.
The lessening chances of an illegal immigrant succeeding in getting in and staying here are convincing many not to attempt the journey in the first place, experts said.
