In a significant shift, fewer than 600 people illegally crossed into the United States from Mexico on Sunday, marking the lowest number of border encounters since US President Donald Trump took office. The sharp drop in illegal entries comes after a series of executive actions aimed at bolstering border security and tightening immigration enforcement.
According to sources speaking to Fox News, none of the nine sectors along the southern border recorded more than 200 crossings on January 26, resulting in a total of just 582 daily encounters. The Del Rio sector, which saw over 4,000 crossings per day during the height of the border crisis in December 2023, reported a dramatic reduction, with only 60 crossings on that day.
The drop is particularly notable when compared to the final days of the Biden administration, where daily border encounters ranged between 1,200 and 1,400. The decrease in illegal crossings under Trump’s leadership comes just days after his inauguration on January 20.
A sharp decline in border crossings
In the first three days of President Trump’s administration, border authorities logged 2,523 encounters, with daily totals of 1,073 on January 20, 736 on January 21, and 714 on January 22. These numbers mark a stark contrast to the 3,908 encounters in the last few days of President Biden’s term, where daily encounters fluctuated between 1,200 and 1,400.
Homeland security department sources have confirmed the downward trend in illegal crossings, with daily totals dropping steadily since January 20. On January 17, 2025, 1,288 encounters were recorded, followed by 1,266 on January 18, and 1,354 on January 19.
A new approach to border security
The reduction in border crossings comes as President Trump follows through on his inauguration promise to declare a national emergency at the southern border. Trump vowed that all illegal entry would be halted immediately and that US troops would be deployed to counter what he referred to as the “disastrous invasion” of the country.
“We will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said during his inaugural speech, signalling a return to a more hardline stance on border enforcement. His administration’s actions reflect a renewed emphasis on national security and the protection of US sovereignty.
