Border Patrol Encounters Decrease Significantly
According to an unofficial report reviewed by Breitbart Texas, Border Patrol agents in nine Southwest sectors faced approximately 6,300 illegal crossings in August. This marks a 90% decrease in immigrant crossings compared to August 2024.
Sources from US Customs and Border Protection disclosed to Breitbart that the arrests totaled around 6,300 in locations including Brownsville, Texas, and San Diego, California, averaging over 200 arrests daily.
When considering additional sectors, the nationwide encounters rose to roughly 8,000 migrants (about 260 daily).
This figure is striking when compared to August 2024, where nearly 61,000 migrants entered the country through unauthorized points. Thus, the current total is nearly an 87% decline from that number.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the average monthly arrests have dropped below 6,000.
Earlier in August, Breitbart Texas mentioned the administration’s declaration of having “the safest border in history.”
In July, the daily average of crossings decreased to 148. In June, agents recorded their lowest daily arrest figures, with concerns raised about 112 undocumented migrants. On July 20, a new record was set with only 88 arrests reported.
During the three months from May to July, there were no immigrants apprehended after crossing illegally into the US. During what has been termed the “catch and release” era under President Biden, a significant percentage, around 50-70%, of migrants were often released into the US without proper screening.
The official numbers are expected to be issued around mid-August.
The downturn in illegal crossings has led to a reduction in migrant fatalities in one of the busiest border sectors. Reports indicate that the number of deaths in the Del Rio area has dropped from about one per day during peak crisis to under one per month.
According to Spanish news sources, Vivienne Juarez, a spokesperson for the consulate in Eagle Pass, noted that only five confirmed migrant deaths occurred this year, including skeletal remains. Most fatalities are believed to stem from heat-related dehydration, with the spokesperson attributing the overall decrease in deaths to stricter immigration controls implemented by Trump.
Previously, the Del Rio sector faced an alarming average of one death per day in July 2023, a period when crossings were at their peak. Back in September 2022, a day recorded nine illegal crossings in Eagle Pass.
This decline signifies a stark shift from the previous norm in cities where thousands crossed the border daily. Today, the enforcement measures enacted during Trump’s administration appear to have meaningfully impacted these dynamics.
