Robert Besser
23 Feb 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Border Patrol arrested 29,000 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in January, the agency said this week.

This is the lowest number of arrests since May 2020 and a significant drop from 47,000 in December.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, took office on January 20 and quickly introduced strict immigration policies. He sent more troops to help secure the border, blocked migrants from seeking asylum, and increased deportations of those already in the U.S.

Before Trump, former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, faced record-high border crossings, reaching 250,000 arrests in December 2023. In June 2024, Biden introduced new rules limiting asylum claims for illegal crossings and worked with Mexico to reduce migration. This led to fewer arrests while also allowing some migrants legal entry through new programs.

Acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said that with fewer crossings, border officers could focus more on enforcing security and making the country safer.

Despite the drop in arrests, Trump canceled some of Biden's legal entry programs, including an app called CBP One, which helped migrants schedule legal entry appointments. Many migrants who had appointments were left stranded in Mexico, unsure of what to do next.