The number of undocumented immigrants apprehended at the southwest border of the country has dropped for the third month in a row, according to Customs and Border Protection data from April.
In April, 11,129 people were apprehended, down from 47,213 in November. President Donald Trump's administration cited its immigration policies, specifically stricter enforcement, for the change.
"Changes in our enforcement policy and the way we're going about business, we believe, has deterred people," David Lapan, Department of Homeland Security spokesman, said at a press briefing Tuesday, according to The Hill.
"People in Central America are waiting and watching to see what happens rather than making the decision to travel north," he said, according to The Wall Street Journal. "The difference now is when you get here, it's likely you will be caught and returned to your country. We're getting people to understand it is not just 'get to the United States and you're good.'"
He added, "when you get here, it's likely you will be caught and returned to your country," according to Fox News. "We're going to enforce the laws."
Lapan did warn drug smuggling across the border had increased, and the amount of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine being moved are "at levels we're not comfortable with."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.