Migrant Border Encounters Drop 38 Percent from Biden’s Last Full Month in Office

The apprehension of migrants illegally crossing the border from Mexico along the U.S. southwest border fell by nearly 38 percent in January as Donald Trump was sworn in as president. President Trump took the oath of office on January 20.

During President Joe Biden’s last full month in office (December), Border Patrol agents encountered more than 47,000 migrants, according to the February Southwest Land Border Encounters report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In January, the number of migrant encounters fell to 29,116, representing a decrease of more than 38 percent.

During President Biden’s inaugural month, January 2021, agents apprehended more than 75,000 migrants. The numbers dramatically increased from that point, peaking at nearly 250,000 apprehensions in December 2023.

The San Diego Sector continues to be the busiest of the nine southwest border sectors, with just under 6,400 migrants apprehensioned, down by more than 74 percent from one year ago.

{snip}