As “absurd” as many believe Donald Trump’s proposed border wall to be, the new president and his administration’s announced crackdown on illegal immigration is already creating real-world consequences for both sides. The Department of Homeland Security reportedly wants to increase the capacity of its existing (and privately operated) detention centers, whereas Trump may cut budgets for airport security and the U.S. Coast Guard to finance the wall. Many of these measures are simply proposals, but new numbers on monthly and annual apprehensions of illegal border crossings may change this.
Per new numbers released by DHS Secretary John Kelly, the amount of illegal border crossings into the U.S. from Mexico dropped by 40 percent between January and February of this year. In a statement, Kelly explained “[U.S. Customs and Border Protection] historically sees a 10-20 percent increase in apprehensions of illegal immigrants from January to February.” In 2017, however, “we saw a drop from 31,578 to 18,762 persons — a 40 percent decline.”
What’s more, the New York Times indicated the numbers for February 2017 represent a 36 percent drop from the previous year. The paper of record also astutely noted, “The data is likely to please supporters of President Trump and could let him take credit for quickly making good on his promise to clamp down on illegal immigration.” After all, in his statement Kelly stated, “Apprehensions and inadmissible activity is trending toward the lowest monthly total in at least the last five years.” Why? Because “the Administration’s implementation of Executive Orders to enforce immigration laws.”
According to CNN, the “CBP usually quietly posts” monthly and annual statistics like these “on its website without fanfare.” Of course, data dating all the way back to 2000 indicates a general spike in apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico every February, so Kelly’s statement and the press surrounding it could stem from this year’s sudden change. Given the DHS secretary’s insistence on pinpointing Trump’s stance against illegal immigration, however, the administration’s resolve to claim an early victory with these numbers is more likely. Even though the true nature of the 40 percent drop “will take months to figure out.”
(Via New York Times and CNN)