Illegal Immigration on Border Surges Back to Obama Levels

Illegal immigration across the Southwest border has surged back to Obama-era levels, according to the latest data released Friday that suggests the gains President Trump made early in his tenure have worn off.

Nearly 40,000 illegal immigrants were nabbed attempting to jump the border in November, which was up about 12 percent compared to October, and more than twice the monthly numbers from March and April, when Mr. Trump touted his early accomplishments.

Perhaps just as worrisome for officials is the rise in families traveling together, which surged 45 percent last month, and unaccompanied minors traveling without parents, which rose 26 percent in November.

Homeland Security said overall things are still an improvement over the worst years of President Obama.

“Under President Trump, illegal immigration has declined dramatically over the last year,” said spokesman Tyler Q. Houlton.

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The 39,006 people caught in November included 29,086 caught by the Border Patrol, and 9,920 who tried to come through official ports of entry without permission. The total is still less than 2015 or 2016, but is more than 2012, 2013 or 2014, signaling a return to Obama-era levels of illegal immigration on the border.

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[Customs and Border Protection] officials said cartels have figured out how to “exploit legal and policy loopholes” in the U.S. to get illegal immigrants into the country and give them a chance to blend into the shadows.

In addition to more migrants, border agents and officers are catching more opioids, heroin and cocaine being smuggled from Mexico to the U.S.