The number of arrests made by U.S. Border Patrol agents during June fell to the lowest level since February, with 34,057 arrests made on the border with Mexico during the month. That number is down 16 percent from the 40,344 arrests made in May, according to an official cited by AP. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the numbers are not yet intended for public release. The story was datelined in McAllen, Texas, suggesting that the CBP official was stationed there.
Customs and Border Protection declined to comment on the numbers, telling AP that it does not discuss them as a matter of policy until public release “to ensure consistency and accuracy.”
Though the number of arrests was down in June from recent months, they were still more than double the number made in June 2017, which was 16,077.
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CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told reporters last week that border arrests were lower in June but said he wouldn’t provide numbers until their public release in early July. “I believe the focus on border enforcement has had an impact on the crossings,” McAleenan said.
We reported in a June 8 article that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Press Secretary Tyler Houlton released a statement on June 6 regarding CBP’s apprehension numbers for the Southwest border for May. The report noted that May was the third month in a row during which more than 50,000 illegal border-crossers were apprehended while attempting to cross the Southwest border.
The number increased slightly from April and climbed by 160 percent in May 2018 in comparison to May 2017, noted the statement, concluding: “These numbers show that while the Trump administration is restoring the rule of law, it will take a sustained effort and continuous commitment of resources over many months to disrupt cartels, smugglers, and nefarious actors.”
Photo: CBP.gov
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