Customs and Border Protection data reveals that March marked a historic low for Southwest border crossings, with only 7,180 recorded in that month. Daily apprehensions also dropped to around 230 per day. This is a significant decrease compared to the daily encounters of 5,000 crossings per day reported by the previous administration.
These numbers are preliminary, and a finalized report is expected to be released by Customs and Border Protection in the near future.
Acting Commissioner Pete Flores praised the efforts under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to restoring border control. Border Patrol agents have been given increased authority to prevent illegal entry and safeguard American lives. The message is clear: the border is not open to illegal crossings, and those attempting to test this resolve will face prosecution and deportation.
In late 2023 and early 2024, border crossings had surged to record levels. However, the implementation of the CBP One app by the Biden administration, allowing asylum seekers to schedule a border crossing to seek permission to enter the U.S., led to a drastic decline in crossings. The app was designed to restrict the number of asylum seekers processed by the U.S.
Border apprehensions plummeted from over 300,000 in December 2023 to less than 100,000 a year later. Since President Trump took office in January, his administration has effectively cut off all legal pathways for seeking asylum in the U.S.
Immigrant rights organizations have criticized the Trump administration’s actions, warning that potential asylum seekers are now left vulnerable to persecution without any means of recourse. Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, condemned the move as an unprecedented overreach that endangers countless lives, asserting that no president has the authority to unilaterally override the protections granted by Congress to those fleeing danger.
