Illegal immigration drops 94% from last year because migrants 'scared' of consequences

Under the new Republican administration, illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border reached a new record low in March 2025, with only 7,000 migrants entering illegally, Homeland Security sources reported.

That marks a 94% decrease compared with the 137,000 crossings recorded in March of the previous year. The March figure follows a similarly low February, with approximately 8,300 illegal immigrants detected, the lowest number in at least 25 years.

Several Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources attributed this drastic reduction to the so-called "Trump effect." Migrants are “scared there are consequences now,” a DHS source told the New York Post (NYP), noting that “everyone who is caught is charged and does time.”

Another source told the NYP that "illegal entries into the United States are no longer a backdoor way to getting status,” suggesting that stricter immigration policies have deterred many from attempting to cross the border.

Most of the 7,000 crossings in March occurred in the San Diego and El Paso border sectors, the sources said. If this trend continues, the United States could record the lowest number of illegal immigrants since 1968, a significant milestone in the country's immigration history.

Since taking office, President Trump has declared a border emergency and taken strong measures, including sending thousands of additional troops to the region, shutting down the asylum system for illegal crossers and initiating a massive nationwide deportation effort.

As a result of the reduction in crossings, Border Patrol has closed several processing centers previously used to detain migrants for short periods.

For its part, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has "maxed out" its detention capacity and has asked Congress for additional funding for detention beds to support its mass deportation campaign.

In its first 50 days, this initiative resulted in 32,000 arrests. The Trump administration has particularly stepped up efforts to deport gang members such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13.

For his part, President Donald Trump published on Truth Social in this regard and pointed out a graph of the steep drop in illegal immigration numbers in the country:

In addition, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on his X account that 17 MS-13 members were handed over to El Salvador on Sunday night.

“Last night, in a successful counter-terrorism operation with our allies in El Salvador, the United States military transferred a group of 17 violent criminals from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 organizations, including murderers and rapists."

"In order to keep the American people safe, @POTUS designated the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. These criminals will no longer terrorize our communities and citizens."

"Once again, we extend our gratitude to @nayibbukele and the government of El Salvador for their unparalleled partnership in making our countries safe against transnational crime and terrorism"

With border crossings on the decline and deportations on the rise, the Republican administration's immigration policies are reshaping the U.S. illegal immigration landscape, marking a significant shift in border enforcement.