Written by Ted Hesson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of migrants apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally fell on Friday, a senior U.S. border official told Reuters, saying it suggested the Biden administration's new restrictive policy was deterring some illegal immigration.
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested about 3,100 people who crossed illegally, down about 20% from previous days, said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss preliminary numbers.
“It is still too early to say that this is a definitive trend,” the official said. “But I think this is an indication of some potential early success.”
Immigration has emerged as a major issue for Americans in the months leading up to the November 5 elections that will determine control of the White House and Congress. President Joe Biden, a Democrat seeking another term, faces Republican Donald Trump – an immigration hardliner – in a rematch of the 2020 race.
Biden took office in 2021 pledging to repeal many of Trump's restrictive immigration policies, but he has hardened his stance in the face of record detentions of migrants at the border.
Biden implemented a sweeping policy on Wednesday that generally bars migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally from seeking asylum. The asylum ban includes exceptions for unaccompanied minors, people facing serious medical or safety threats, and victims of trafficking.
The new policy aims to increase the number of immigrants who are placed in “expedited removal,” a speedy deportation process. The US official said that since Wednesday, more than 2,000 people a day have been placed for urgent removal, more than double the previous rate.
Questions remain about whether border crossings will remain low enough to accommodate people quickly and whether US authorities have the capacity to achieve their goals.
The American Civil Liberties Union has pledged to file a lawsuit to stop the measure, which is similar to Trump's restrictions on asylum.