SAN DIEGO (AP) — Arrests of migrants for illegally crossing the border to the United States from Mexico are expected to plummet by about 30% in July, reaching a new low for President Joe Biden's administration, U.S. authorities have revealed. This significant drop raises hopes that a temporary ban on asylum may soon be lifted.
The U.S. Border Patrol's ongoing operations indicate that the monthly tally for July is likely to be around 57,000, a substantial decrease from the 83,536 arrests recorded in June, which was the previous low under Biden's presidency. These figures, provided by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, mark the lowest monthly tally since September 2020, when 40,507 arrests were recorded amid global border slowdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even before the Biden administration invoked powers to suspend asylum on June 5, border arrests had already halved from a record-high of 250,000 in December, largely due to increased enforcement by Mexican authorities. Since the implementation of the asylum suspension, arrests have halved again, significantly mitigating criticism from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, who have accused the Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, of allowing the border situation to deteriorate.
The recent drop in border arrests comes as immigration remains a prominent issue in the lead-up to the November elections. The Trump campaign has launched its first television ad of the general election cycle, criticizing Harris, dubbing her the "border czar" and blaming her for the surge in illegal crossings under Biden's presidency. In response, Harris's campaign has highlighted Trump's opposition to a border bill earlier this year, which would have bolstered Border Patrol and fentanyl detection efforts.
Neither campaign has yet to address the recent drop in border arrests directly, but the trend could benefit Harris as many Republicans criticize the Biden administration's new asylum restrictions as insufficient. The current asylum halt could be lifted if daily arrests continue to stay below 1,500 over a seven-day average, a scenario that Customs and Border Protection officials are cautiously preparing for, with current daily arrests hovering around 1,600 to 1,700.
Under the current asylum halt, U.S. authorities deny asylum to anyone crossing the border illegally, though unaccompanied children are exempt. This policy has been challenged by immigrant advocacy groups in court. The Department of Homeland Security, when asked about the July numbers, referred to a recent statement noting a 55% drop in arrests since the asylum restrictions took effect.
San Diego continues to be the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, followed by Tucson, Arizona. The most significant declines in arrests have been among nationalities that are easiest to deport, such as Mexicans, but decreases are also being observed among other nationalities as additional travel restrictions come into effect. For instance, Chinese migration appears to have slowed due to new visa requirements in Ecuador and increased U.S. deportations to China.
Follow the AP's coverage of immigration at https://apnews.com/hub/immigration.