While nobody was watching, Customs and Border Protection reported yet another drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens on our southern border last month. That’s the eighth straight month of declines and a significant reduction from the same period last year. It’s just amazing what happens when you put a new set of policies in place and actually enforce them, isn’t it? (Associated Press)
The number of border apprehensions has dropped for the eighth straight month, following crackdowns by the Trump administration that include forcing asylum seekers back over the U.S.-Mexico border to wait out their claims, a Homeland Security official said Monday…
The tally for the month of January was about 36,000, including apprehensions of people crossing illegally and migrants who were declared inadmissible by border officers at a port of entry. It was a 10 percent decline from December.
The steep decline will almost certainly figure heavily into President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday. Trump has made cracking down on immigration — legal and illegal — a signature issue.
The total numbers are impressive. From October of 2018 through January of 2019, there were 242,000 “encounters” between migrants trying to cross the border and CBP. From October of last year through last month the number was 165,000. That’s a drop of 77,000 or 31%. And we should also keep in mind that these are the months with the coolest weather, usually resulting in the highest amount of foot traffic. This is pretty remarkable by any measure.
The AP goes on to point out that the number is still not even close to zero, but many of those presenting themselves with an asylum claim are now waiting in shelters in Mexico for a court hearing. The wait time is currently estimated at three to four months. This is obviously being described as some sort of horror show in the more liberal media outlets, but that’s how the system is designed.
We’re finally working through some of the backlog of immigration cases clogging up our courts, but the progress will be slow. But the point is that we’re at least making some progress. It’s been at least a decade since the numbers started curving back in the other direction. Of course, more work needs to be done, both on the wall and in beefing up our immigration courts to process these cases more efficiently.
You can bet that President Trump will be talking about this during the SOTU address, as well he should. Cutting down on illegal immigration and securing the border were two of his signature campaign promises. It’s taken time, but the new policies he’s put in place are finally bearing fruit. As we’ve discussed here previously, much of the credit for this progress goes to the improved relationship between the White House and the Mexican government. Trump applied leverage to the situation and got them to not only approve the Remain in Mexico policy but to shut down the caravans of illegal aliens from Central America at their own southern border.
It’s not often we get the opportunity to report on good news when it comes to illegal immigration issues. Of course, it would be nice if some of the mainstream media outlets mentioned it as well.
