The number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border illegally dropped to its lowest level during President Biden's administration in September, according to internal Department of Homeland Security data. Border Patrol apprehended nearly 54,000 individuals who crossed between legal entry points along the U.S.-Mexico border, down from the previous low of 56,000 in July and well below its peak in December, when 250,000 crossings were recorded.
The drop is attributed for the most part to the administration's tough asylum restrictions which were implemented back in June and further enhanced by the end of September. Originally, the U.S. could restrict asylum petitions when the amount of migrants arriving at the border between ports of entry reached 2,500 per day and could then be lifted when the average dropped to 1,500 per day for a week. Now, however, the average will have to extend for almost a month before restrictions can be lifted.
