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The border holdings for crossing unauthorized from Mexico to the United States in December showed few changes compared to the previous month, keeping the lower levels since July 2020. A high -ranking official of US customs and borders protection (CBP) , speaking on condition of condition, anonymity revealed on Monday that the detenctions of December should end up near the total of November of 46,612. The official added that the preliminary data suggest about 44,000 apprehensions at the beginning of this month.
December marks the sixth consecutive month in which the detention on the southern border were below the average monthly observed in 2019, reporting a continuous drop in unauthorized crossings. The official also observed that the last month of President Joe Biden's mandate is on the way to record the lowest levels of his four years in charge.
The National Security Department (DHS) has attributed the reduction supported to effective political changes. The secretary of DHS Alejandro Mayorkas, in a declaration, accredited the “rapid and effective implementation” of the asylum restrictions introduced in June. He stressed that the figures of December again aligned with the 2019 benchmarks of the Administration, who aimed to reduce unauthorized voices.
“This success has supported the result of the strong application of immigration laws, vast collaboration with international partners and expansion of legal and safe paths that provide humanitarian relief in our countries,” said Mayorkas.
The drop in the detention has been significant in the last year. December 2023 saw a historical maximum of 250,000 apprehensions, but the number was halved after Mexican authorities have increased the application of borders. They were further reduced after the Biden administration implemented more severe asylum restrictions at the beginning of this year.
Geographically, the busiest regions for border crossings have seen changes in activity. The Río Grande Valley in Texas, which was the second most active corridor for unauthorized crossings in December, had previously ranked fifth in November. The officials suggest that the change reflects strategic adjustments by the human smuggling networks and the police forced in Mexico. In the meantime, San Diego has remained the busiest crossing point, followed by El Paso, Texas and Tucson, in Arizona.
For the second consecutive month, the number of migrants who enter the United States legally through official border crossings exceed those detained for unauthorized crossings. This trend highlights the attention of the Biden Administration on the expansion of legal migration paths, at the same time to apply more rigorous measures against irregular crossings.
Much of the legal migration is facilitated by CBP One, an online appointment system that allows migrants to plan the entrance. The platform processes up to 1,450 appointments per day and has become a fundamental component of the administration's immigration strategy.
The approach of the Biden administration clearly contrasts with that of former president Donald Trump, who gave priority to mass deportations and restrictive border policies during his mandate. The administration of Trump had also implemented the “RE RIVER in Mexico” policy, which required asylum seekers to wait for their judicial hearings in Mexico.
In September, Trump announced his intention to eliminate the CBP appointment system if he returns to the office, reporting a passage to his strictest immigration policies.
