Illegal Southwest Border Crossings Continue To Decline And CBP Discovers The Longest Cross-Border Tunnel In History

WASHINGTON — Customs and Border Control (CBP) enforcement actions on the Southwest border in January 2020 included the discovery of the longest cross-border tunnel in history, said Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan today in announcing overall January enforcement numbers. CBP enforcement on the Southwest border decreased by 10% in January as compared to December, representing a 74.5% decrease since the peak of the humanitarian and border security crisis in May 2019.  

On the Southwest border, CBP conducted 36,679 total enforcement actions in January 2020, including 29,200 apprehensions and 7,479 inadmissibility decisions. This includes a 4% decline in inadmissible aliens at ports of entry and an 11% decline in U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions from December. The overall number of nationwide enforcement actions was also 37% lower than in January 2019.

CBP also announced the seizure of nearly 54,000 pounds of drugs nationwide in January 2020 – over 50,000 pounds were seized on the Southwest border.

“We continue to see positive results because of the steps taken by the Trump Administration to control the border and uphold the rule of law,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan. “We’ve seen eight straight months of decline, but as we see from the seizure of the longest-ever tunnel between the U.S. and Mexico and significant drug seizures, much work remains. We hope that Congress will finally act to address the ongoing crisis on the Southwest border and pass meaningful legislation to strengthen our immigration system.”

CBP is also increasing efforts with partner countries to stem the tide of illegal immigration. Acting Commissioner Morgan spent last week in the Northern Triangle nations of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to reiterate the agency’s commitment to our partner nations and to continue to discourage families and individuals from making the dangerous journey north to the United States. Acting Commissioner Morgan’s January trip involved meetings with a wide array of leaders and law enforcement officials on issues such as border security, human trafficking, asylum agreements, customs systems, enhanced trade opportunities, and reducing illegal migration. As partners, the U.S. and Northern Triangle governments continue to collaborate in preventing migrants from placing their lives in the hands of human smugglers.