Mexico aiming to limit the number of border crossings into the US

A significant crackdown by Mexican authorities has led to a more than 50% reduction in illegal border crossings from the record highs seen in December.

According to CBS News, U.S. Border Patrol agents reported an average of about 3,700 apprehensions of migrants per day between official ports of entry in the first three weeks of May.

This represents a 54% decrease from the daily average of 8,000 in December, when illegal entries peaked at a historical high of 301,980 encounters, as stated in U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics.

May is also expected to show the third consecutive month-over-month decline in unlawful border crossings.

Although illegal crossings have decreased, the numbers remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The statistics do not include migrants processed at official border entries, where the administration admits around 1,500 asylum-seekers daily.

Border expert Jaeson Jones suggests that the administration may be manipulating the numbers, as the overall data shows a record 1.9 million encounters in the first seven months of the fiscal year.

This is significant due to the introduction of the CBP 1 app, which now allows hundreds of thousands to fly into airports across the U.S.

The decrease in unauthorized border crossings can be attributed, in part, to a vigorous crackdown on migrants headed towards the U.S. by Mexican authorities, as reported by senior U.S. officials and CBS News.

NBC News recently noted that Mexican authorities had intercepted over 280,000 migrants, nearly triple the number from the previous year.

The New York Times highlighted Mexico’s use of a busing program to transport migrants away from the border, a move seemingly in alignment with the Biden administration’s goals.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, however, credited the Biden administration for the decrease in illegal crossings in an interview with CBS News.

He pointed out a series of actions taken by the administration, emphasizing the strengthening of enforcement and providing lawful pathways for eligible individuals to reach the U.S. safely and legally.

Additionally, NBC News reported that the administration is finalizing an executive action that would allow the temporary closure of the southern border to migrants during a presidential election year if deemed necessary.

Plans for this and other executive actions are expected to be unveiled in June, with cooperation from Mexico on key provisions in the works.

Any new policies are likely to be announced after Mexico’s presidential election on June 2.