The U.S. southern border has seen a significant drop in illegal immigrant encounters during the first few days of the Trump administration, according to multiple Department of Homeland Security sources.
In the first three days of President Trump’s administration, Border Patrol reported a 35% decrease in encounters compared to the final three days of President Biden’s term. On January 17–19, the final days under Biden, there were 3,908 total encounters: 1,288 on January 17, 1,266 on January 18, and 1,354 on January 19.
After Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the numbers fell to 1,073 encounters, then dropped further to 736 on January 21, and 714 on January 22 — totaling 2,523 encounters.
This sharp decline coincides with a series of executive actions issued by President Trump. On his first day in office, Trump declared a national emergency at the border, deployed military personnel to the region, and halted the use of the CBP One mobile app for processing migrants through humanitarian parole.
Trump’s administration has also initiated a nationwide deportation operation, with ICE agents increasing activity in various states. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has rescinded restrictions on ICE that were implemented during the Biden administration and expanded the expedited removal process for recent arrivals.
Trump has further reinstated border wall construction and revived the “Remain-in-Mexico” policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed. Additionally, he signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, a decision that has already sparked legal challenges from nearly two dozen Democratic-led states.
Although border numbers often fluctuate, the recent drop aligns with prior trends showing reduced crossings under stricter immigration enforcement. Some experts suggest the decline may reflect a “Trump effect,” where migrants are discouraged from making the journey due to the perception of stricter border enforcement and deportation policies.
The Biden administration had faced a record-breaking migrant crisis since 2021, although numbers had slightly declined after Biden’s executive order limiting asylum in mid-2024.
The full impact of Trump’s new policies remains to be seen, but these early figures suggest his administration is taking swift action to address illegal immigration at the southern border.
