Preliminary figures show falling numbers of migrant families were crossing the southern border illegally in recent weeks, the Washington Post reported Monday.
Customs and Border Protection data shows more than 85,000 “family unit” members at the border in May, an average of nearly 2,800 per day. That number has declined about 13% since the beginning of June, the Post reported.
Overall, U.S. officials say they are expecting a decline of 15-20% decline in border arrests from May, when authorities detained more than 144,000 and migration levels reached their highest point since 2006, the Post reported.
The time frame of the decline corresponds with the period that President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico and the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador agreed to a crackdown to avoid the penalty, the Post noted.
“We are seeing initial actions and we are seeing some signs they’re having an impact,” an unnamed U.S. official told the Post. “But I think it’s still too early to tell.”
Border arrests typically surge in the spring, when demand for U.S. farm labor grows, then subside during peak summer months, the Post reported.
For example, border arrested dropped 17% from May 2018 to June 2018, the Post reported.
If the June arrest numbers continue to decline, it would be the first month this year that CBP has notched a drop in enforcement actions.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.