Border crossings in January drop to lowest level since February 2021 | CNN Politics

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The variety of illegal crossings of the US-Mexico border in January marked the bottom ranges of encounters since February 2021, administration officers mentioned Friday.

In January, US Border Patrol made greater than 128,000 apprehensions, down 42% from December, in keeping with administration officers.

The dealing with of the US-Mexico border has been a political vulnerability for President Joe Biden, who faces criticism from Republicans and potential impeachment proceedings of his Homeland Safety secretary. The White Home has usually stored the problem at arms size however the drop in border crossings has instilled renewed confidence in administration officers who say new measures are serving to drive the decline.

In latest weeks, administration officers have cited a brand new program that gives a authorized pathway to the US as contributing to a drop in border crossings. Encounters with migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela – the 4 nationalities that profit from that program – have declined dramatically, officers mentioned.

“For the reason that president introduced our new border strategy on January 5, the variety of illegal border crossings has plummeted,” an administration official advised reporters Friday, including that there’s additionally been a big drop in migrants from Central America.

Border numbers typically fluctuate relying on circumstances within the Western Hemisphere, so it’s unclear how lengthy the pattern will maintain. The administration additionally continues to depend on a Trump-era Covid restriction, often known as Title 42, that enables authorities to show away sure migrants on the US-Mexico border, although it may expire quickly.

However officers cited new measures, like the brand new program and use of an app for processing, together with coordination with Mexico as contributing to the decline in encounters.