Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Leads to Historic Drop in Border Crossings/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Illegal border crossings have dropped to their lowest level in at least 25 years following President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown. In February 2025, Border Patrol recorded just 8,450 apprehensions, a staggering 70% decline from January. Trump administration officials credit the drop to strict enforcement measures, including mass deportations, expanded military presence, and the rollback of asylum protections. While Biden-era policies had already reduced crossings, Trump’s approach has accelerated the trend with some of the most restrictive border policies in U.S. history.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: Quick Look
- February 2025 saw just 8,450 illegal border crossings, the lowest in at least 25 years.
- 70% decrease in crossings since Trump’s inauguration in January.
- Expanded military presence at the border, including troops and deportation flights.
- Asylum processing nearly eliminated, including the shutdown of a Biden-era immigration app.
- Trump administration considering invoking Title 42 to further restrict border entries.
- ICE detention centers at 117% capacity, straining resources for deportations.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Leads to Historic Drop in Border Crossings
Border Crossings at Historic Lows
In February 2025, Border Patrol apprehended just 8,450 migrants attempting to cross into the U.S. illegally, marking the lowest monthly total recorded since at least the year 2000.
This represents a 70% decrease from January’s 29,000 apprehensions and an astounding 98% drop from the peak of 8,000 crossings per day recorded during the Biden administration’s 2023 border crisis.
The last time monthly border apprehensions were this low was April 2017, during Trump’s first term, when crossings briefly dropped to 11,000 following his initial immigration crackdown.
The sharpest declines came after Trump reinstated and expanded aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, drastically reducing opportunities for migrants to enter and remain in the U.S.
How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Working
Trump’s immigration policies have built upon and intensified the restrictive measures initiated in Biden’s final year, when Mexico ramped up enforcement and asylum rules were tightened.
However, the Trump administration has gone much further, implementing:
- Mass deportations without allowing asylum claims, under the legal justification of an “invasion.”
- Deployment of military troops to the southern border to assist federal immigration enforcement.
- Use of military planes to expedite deportations.
- Elimination of Biden’s asylum-processing system, which had allowed limited entry through an app.
- Potential invocation of Title 42, using public health concerns to justify mass expulsions.
While Biden had already moved to curtail asylum access, Trump’s zero-tolerance approach has largely shut down the asylum system altogether.
The Future of Border Crossings Under Trump
Despite the historic decline, it remains unclear whether migrant flows will continue decreasing or rise again in the coming months.
Historically, border crossings increase in spring, as warmer weather and economic conditions drive migration. The Trump administration is expected to tighten enforcement even further to maintain low numbers.
Challenges to Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
While border enforcement has seen immediate success, Trump’s larger deportation plans face significant obstacles in the U.S. interior.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is struggling to meet Trump’s mass deportation goals.
- Top ICE officials have been reassigned over concerns about lack of enforcement.
- Detention centers are overwhelmed, operating at 117% capacity with over 45,000 migrants detained.
With Trump promising the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, ICE is under pressure to expand its capacity and increase removal efforts.
What’s Next?
- The Trump administration is expected to:
- Further expand deportation efforts, despite ICE resource limitations.
- Invoke Title 42 to justify even broader expulsions.
- Deploy additional military personnel to assist with enforcement.
- Monitor spring migration patterns, adjusting policies accordingly.
With border crossings at a generational low, Trump’s hardline immigration policies are proving effective—but questions remain about long-term sustainability and legal challenges.
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