American immigration officials arrested 2,885 fewer undocumented immigrants at the southwest border in July than during June. It is the second consecutive month that the number of such immigrants attempting to enter the US has fallen, according to data released by the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday.
39,953 undocumented immigrants were apprehended at the US-Mexico border last month, a drop on the June figure, which totaled 42,838. According to a senior official with the Department of Homeland Security, the fall in apprehensions is partly due to the increased immigration enforcement on the border thanks to the policies of the Trump administration, though also agreed with experts and advocates that border crossings have ebbs and flows in different seasons in the year.
Approximately 4,357 unaccompanied immigrant minors arrived at the US-Mexico border last month, according to the data, compared to the figure of 5,562 in June. 12,258 people traveling as families were also denied access to the US in July, compared to 12,386 in June. June and July followed a flood of immigrants who crossed over the southwest border and illegally entered the US in the spring, with over 50,000 immigrants arrested crossing from Mexico every month from March through to May.
Illegal border crossings fell to an over 40-year record low in 2017, which was generally attributed to the election of President Donald Trump. The figures are still below the historic highs seen in the early 2000s and 1990s.