On Friday, US authorities announced that the number of individuals arrested for illegal border crossings from Mexico dropped by 33% in July due to the suspension of asylum applications, reaching the lowest level since September 2020.
According to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol agents arrested 56,408 people last month, a decrease from 83,536 in June.
Since President Joe Biden took office, the surge of illegal immigrants at the southern border has been a constant challenge for the White House and could potentially weaken voter support in the upcoming presidential election.
To improve the declining situation, Biden signed an executive order on June 4, implementing new border control measures that dictate closing the border once the daily number of illegal migrant entries exceeds 2,500 people until the numbers drop below 1,500 per day.
On June 5, due to the number of illegal border crossings surpassing the threshold of 2,500 people per day, the border region ceased accepting asylum applications. However, due to a lack of deportation flights, authorities were unable to turn everyone away.
Border authorities stated that following this measure, the arrest numbers decreased by 55%. Earlier this year, the number of apprehensions also significantly dropped due to increased border enforcement efforts by Mexican authorities.
CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller stated, “In July, border security measures enhanced our ability to enforce consequences on illegal entrants.”
Over 38,000 individuals used the online appointment system called “CBP One” to enter land ports of entry since its launch in January 2023, with a total entry figure surpassing 765,000 people.
In mid-July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) halted the “pre-travel approval” humanitarian parole program. Over the past year and a half, this program allowed over 520,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the US.
The program permitted undocumented immigrants from these four countries to apply online and arrive at airports accompanied by a financial sponsor. Recently, permit issuance was halted due to concerns about sponsor fraud.
The US Customs and Border Protection under the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security stated in a press release, “(DHS) is working to resume application processing as soon as possible, taking appropriate security measures.”
CBP announced on Friday, August 16, that starting from August 23, non-Mexican immigrants can expand their online asylum application appointment areas to large regions in southern Mexico.
Undocumented immigrants will be able to make appointments using the “CBP One” application from Chiapas and Tabasco states, expanding the application area from northern and central Mexico to the southern part. Mexicans can apply from anywhere in their country.
This initiative aims to alleviate pressure on the Mexican government by allowing immigrants to wait for appointments in the southern regions further from the US border, reducing the number of asylum seekers rushing to the US border.
Mark Green, the Republican Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Biden administration for constructing and expanding legal entry points for illegal immigrants in border areas.
He stated that by encouraging illegal immigrants originally not allowed entry to cross at ports of entry, the Biden administration created an illusion of “improving the image,” but in reality, it burdens our communities even more.
(Reference to related reports from the Associated Press)