Decrease in migrant entries at the American south border during the third successive month under intensive examination during election season
Elections continue to highlight immigration as a significant concern for voters, and ex-President Trump has championed it as a critical issue in his campaign, often criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for her handling of the US-Mexico border situation. This criticism surfaces frequently at campaign rallies.
Harris' visit to the US-Mexico border last Friday was a clear demonstration of her campaign's commitment to border security. This commitment involves enforcing stringent regulations that have drawn criticism from certain sections of the Democratic party. The Democratic nominee sought to position herself as a problem-solver when discussing the US-Mexico border, striking a tougher stance while simultaneously advocating for broader immigration reform.
There's been a significant decrease in crossings since the Biden administration implemented executive actions during the summer.
US Border Patrol recorded approximately 54,000 encounters along the US-Mexico border in September, according to federal data. This represented the third consecutive month of decline since the executive actions were implemented.
This shift contrasts with earlier periods when Homeland Security officials grappled with high numbers of border crossers, and occurs at a politically charged time in the election cycle, where border security has been a prominent topic.
Administration officials attribute the decrease in crossings to the executive actions announced by President Biden in June. These actions primarily prevented migrants from seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border and imposed severe consequences on those crossing illegally.
Migrants can still pursue legal migration through alternative channels, such as a mobile app named CBP One. The US Customs and Border Protection processes around 1,450 appointments daily through this app.
According to a senior CBP official, effective border control requires enforcement at the border, international cooperation, and affirmative pathways for legal migration. The official stated that these measures need to be implemented concurrently, or else the enforcement efforts would be ineffective.
The June measures can be temporarily suspended and reinstated based on specific criteria, such as daily average encounters below 1,500 between ports of entry. Currently, the daily encounters hover around 1,700.
Changes to these measures could make it more difficult for officials to lift them, a possibility that Harris suggested during her border visit. However, campaign officials maintained that this was different from the administration's existing plans.
Commenting on the timing of these changes, just weeks before the election, the senior CBP official described it as a natural progression in the rulemaking process.
During her border trip, Harris outlined policies that would bar migrants from seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border unless they did so at legal ports of entry – a departure from historical protocols. She also spoke about imposing harsh penalties for repeat border crossers.
“As president, I will not only restore the border security bill that Trump blocked, but I will take additional steps to fortify our border. To decrease illegal border crossings, I will implement further measures to maintain the border closed between ports of entry,” Harris said. “We will impose harsher criminal charges against repeat offenders.”
“While we comprehend the desperation that drives many to seek asylum in the United States, our system needs to maintain order and security,” she added.
The ongoing debate in politics surrounding border security and immigration reform is prompted by the significant decrease in border crossings since the Biden administration implemented executive actions. Ex-President Trump continues to utilize this issue in his campaign, frequently criticizing Vice President Harris for her handling of the US-Mexico border situation.
