NATIONAL NEWS

US-Mexico encounters fall as border activity slows while deportations rise, new data shows

Nov 23, 2024, 8:00 PM

(Edgar H. Clemente, Associated Press...

(Edgar H. Clemente, Associated Press)

(Edgar H. Clemente, Associated Press)

SALT LAKE CITY — As President Joe Biden’s administration winds down, enforcement encounters — a measure of illicit activity at the U.S.-Mexico border — are down while deportations are up, according to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures.

The numbers suggest a dramatic turnaround in border activity since late last year and early this year, when surging apprehension and encounter figures sparked angry calls by many political leaders for tighter border security. The issue figured big in the U.S. presidential campaign, won by Republican Donald Trump, who promised a crackdown on immigrants here illegally and charged the Biden administration with not doing enough to stem illegal immigration.

According to the data released Tuesday, encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border in October — which includes apprehensions of immigrants who entered illegally or were deemed to be inadmissible — totaled just 106,344. That’s the fourth consecutive monthly figure under 108,000 and contrasts the high of 301,981 registered last December, when clamoring over illegal crossings reached a pitch. Moreover, the monthly figures since June have been the lowest since October 2022 and the total for fiscal year 2024, which ended in September, totaled 2.14 million, lower than 2.48 million in 2023 and 2.38 million in 2022.

Customs and Border Protection agents’ “enhanced enforcement efforts are continuing to keep border encounters low, and we continue to take unprecedented measures to dismantle and disrupt the operations of transnational criminal organizations,” Troy Miller, acting commissioner of the office, said in a statement. He singled out efforts to stop organizations trafficking fentanyl and other illicit drugs “to keep our communities safe.”

The Customs and Border Protection statement referenced the June 4 executive order enacted by Biden, which restricted the number of permissible asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border and augmented other enforcement mechanisms. Asylum policy changes enacted earlier in Biden’s term have been a particular point of contention for his critics, who have decried the entry of some making asylum claims.

Aside from reducing border activity, the changes “have also led to an increase in the percentage of migrants removed from the United States and a decrease in the number of people released pending their removal proceedings,” said the statement. Since the June changes, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security “has doubled the percentage of noncitizens processed for expedited removal, and the number of individuals released by U.S. Border Patrol pending immigration court proceedings is down 67%.”

Read the full story at ksl.com.

Related: LISTEN: Biden issues order closing southern border to asylum seekers

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

National News

This photo provided by Bud Light shows Bud Light's 2025 Super Bowl NFL football spot.  ( Bud Light ...

Mariah Maynes

Super Bowl commercials rely on comedy and nostalgia to avoid potential missteps

Most of the commercials airing during this year's Super Bowl are going for laughs, with advertisers betting that America could use a little break.

4 days ago

Kansas City Chiefs fan Rose Loftus, 9, from Dallas, ties her hair while wearing a Taylor Swift frie...

DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

Taylor Swift makes her Super Bowl return to watch Travis Kelce and his Chiefs face the Eagles

Taylor Swift was spotted in a Superdome suite about 90 minutes before the 2025 Super Bowl kickoff.

4 days ago

Nineteen states sued President Donald Trump on Friday to stop Elon Musk’s DOGE from accessing ...

ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

19 states sue to stop DOGE from accessing Americans’ personal data

Nineteen states sued President Donald Trump on Friday to stop Elon Musk’s DOGE from accessing records that contain personal data for millions of Americans.

6 days ago

Estee Lauder products on display...

ANNE D'INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer

Estee Lauder to cut up to 7,000 jobs as sales slide

Estee Lauder said it's expanding its restructuring plan to include from 5,800 to 7,000 job cuts by 2026.

8 days ago

dc plane crash recovery...

Associated Press

Remains of all 67 victims of plane/chopper collision near DC are recovered

The news came Tuesday as crews worked to try to recover the cockpit and other parts of the jetliner from the Potomac River.

9 days ago

A figure skater with the Cottonwood Heights Figure Skating Club held a rose during a memorial vigil...

Shara Park

Cottonwood Heights Figure Skating Club holds memorial vigil for Flight 5432

As crews pull the remaining wreckage from Flight 5432, figure skating clubs from around the country held vigils to honor those killed.

10 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Full speed through the snow. A man on skis is pulled by his through the snow at full gallop Skijori...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get ready for an unforgettable skijoring adventure in Bear Lake!

“Skijoring the Bear” takes place this year on February 21-22 in Garden City, Utah.

the bedroom in a geodesic dome shows the night sky...

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon

Your front row to an extraordinary cosmos show

As America's first glass dome stargazing resort, Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon is one of the world’s most unique and spectacular places to stay.

2 people huddled up in a blanket and warm clothes sipping hot chocolate...

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

The best ways to spend your Christmas vacation in Bear Lake

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas this year, Bear Lake should definitely be on your radar. Read this guide for more!

big crowd of people under holiday lights in an outdoor market...

Western Nut

Our favorite family Christmas activities in Utah

We gathered up a list of our favorite activities, movies, and treats to try this holiday season that the whole family can enjoy.

an IT tech looks at a laptop in front of a server network...

Comcast Business

Tips to protect yourself from phishing attacks

Check out this resource from Comcast Business to learn more about phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of one.

A surprise gift, wrapped and ready to bring holiday cheer! Whether for Christmas, a birthday, or an...

Western Nut

10 Holiday Gift Ideas to cover everyone on your list

This guide is for you if you need holiday gift ideas that will make a lasting impression. 

US-Mexico encounters fall as border activity slows while deportations rise, new data shows