Border Crossings are at the Lowest Point in 17 Years

by | Apr 24, 2017

Last Updated May 20, 2024
Border crossing

border

Across the southwest border, the number of immigrants caught crossing into the United States illegally has dropped dramatically. March saw less than 12,200 people caught. That’s a 64 percent decrease from last year, and the lowest monthly number in 17 years.

Decrease in Asylum Seekers

Rio Grande Valley is ground zero (since 2014) for asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution in Central America. The number of families and unaccompanied children caught entering the U.S. has decreased from 291 per day in January to 37 per day in March.

There are many factors to consider in this drop. They include President Trump’s aggressive stance on securing the border, heightened security on Mexico’s southern border and a rise in smuggling fees.

Marlene Castro, a supervisory Border Patrol, has worked for Customs and Border Protection for almost 20 years. She insists agents aren’t doing anything differently, and the Trump administration executive orders are enforcing laws already on the books.

Perception and Decision-Making

An associate professor of public affairs and security studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley says, “There’s a perception that it’s going to be very difficult for immigrants to cross into the U.S and stay in the U.S. It makes them think twice because the commitment is too big”. Many immigrants are now calculating whether it’s worth paying smugglers as much as $7,000-$11,000 to lead them on dangerous routes.

The decline in numbers is a good thing, but many agree it’s too early to detect a long-term pattern. “People might be biding their time and putting off a journey for a few months,” said a policy analyst at the Migration Policy institute. The number of immigrants crossing the border has dropped from 1.6 million in 2000 to 415,000 in 2016.

Reinforcement and Border Security

More than 3,000 Border Patrol agents already monitor the Rio Grande Valley sectors 315-mile border. Manual Padilla, Chief of Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector, wants to see something like what transformed California, Arizona, and New Mexico. “We need the wall—or wall and fence combo, whatever that ends up looking like—to stop the people from coming over. People will say ‘Well, it doesn’t stop people’. But it slows them down in order for us to be able to respond.”

 

Here at Harris Federal, we help injured or ill federal employees secure their federal benefits they’ve worked so hard for. If you’re looking for help, please give our office a call to schedule a free consultation today.

Message us & find out if you qualify today!

Recent Articles

Reasonable Accommodation FAQs: A Guide for Federal Employees

If you're struggling to do your federal job because of a medical condition, reasonable accommodation may help you stay in your position a little longer - but it’s also a key step if you're considering a way out of federal service through an option like Disability...

Make Sense of the 3112D, AKA the HR Form, With these Tips

The application for Federal Disability Retirement is full of confusing terminology, complex paperwork, and specific standards, like the SF 3112D - also called the Agency Certification of Reassignment and Accommodation Efforts. This is the HR form your agency will fill...

Pay Freezes May Be Next for Federal Employees: Here’s What You Can Do

After months of various incentives and plans to trim up the federal workforce, President Trump is now proposing a freeze in federal employee pay. That means that employees won’t get their raise in 2026.  With unpredictable job security because of RIFs and layoffs, and...

Federal Employee Resources

Our ever growing library of federal employee resources give you the knowledge you need to make smart choices about your future.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the answers you need on-demand, from a team of federal employee benefits professionals.

View FAQ
Webinars

Federal Benefit Webinars

Twice per month we host webinars to help federal employees better understand their benefits and answer their questions LIVE.

See Webinar Schedule
Guides

Benefit Guides

From guides to detailed charts, these educational resources will help clarify confusing federal employee benefits topics.

See our resources