U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its operational statistics for July 2024, revealing a dramatic reduction in migrant encounters at the southwest border. Following a Presidential Proclamation issued by President Biden on June 4, 2024, to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens, U.S. Border Patrol reported a 32% decrease in encounters from June 2024, marking the lowest monthly total since September 2020. July’s figures were also lower than those recorded in July 2019, and the monthly average for that year, making this the lowest level seen in nearly four years.
“In July, our border security measures enhanced our ability to deliver consequences for illegal entry – leading to the lowest number of encounters along the southwest border in more than three years,” stated Troy A. Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. He emphasized that CBP, in collaboration with international partners, is intensifying efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations. These organizations prioritize profit over human lives, particularly by trafficking illicit drugs such as fentanyl. In July, CBP announced record-breaking enforcement actions against the fentanyl supply chain, including the largest fentanyl seizure in the agency’s history.
The significant reduction in encounters is largely attributed to the executive actions announced on June 4, which include both the Presidential Proclamation and an Interim Final Rule (IFR) jointly issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General. These actions limit asylum eligibility for those who irregularly enter the U.S. across the southern border. Since June 4, encounters between ports of entry have decreased by 55%, leading to a substantial increase in the number of migrants removed or returned to their home countries. This is reflected in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent Fact Sheets from June and July 2024.
Since the implementation of the Presidential Proclamation and IFR on June 5, DHS has removed or returned more than 92,000 individuals to over 130 countries. This effort included over 300 international repatriation flights. Additionally, DHS has nearly tripled the percentage of noncitizens processed for Expedited Removal, with a nearly 50% reduction in releases pending immigration court proceedings. Over the past year, total removals and returns have exceeded those of any fiscal year since 2010, with the majority of southwest border encounters during the past three fiscal years resulting in a removal, return, or expulsion.
These new measures reflect CBP’s ongoing commitment to securing the U.S. border, enforcing immigration laws, and collaborating with international partners to address the challenges posed by irregular migration and transnational criminal activities.