Illegal border crossings dropped in the first weeks of the Trump administration, continuing a decline that began under Biden. Border Patrol made 29,000 arrests in January, down from 47,000 in December. Officials attribute the decline to new policies denying asylum claims and expanded deportation efforts, including deals with Venezuela, Panama, and Costa Rica. The Biden administration also saw border arrests decline after persuading Mexico to increase enforcement. The White House credited the drop to Trump’s policies, calling it the Trump effect.
