Border arrests exceed 50,000 for third month in a row
U.S. border agents made more than 50,000 arrests in May for the third month in a row, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday, an indication that escalating enforcement tactics by the Trump administration — including separating migrant parents from their children — has not had an immediate deterrent effect.
DHS took 51,912 migrants into custody in May, nearly three times the number detained in May 2017, a period when illegal immigration plunged following Trump’s inauguration.
Arrests at the border this spring have jumped to their highest levels since Trump took office, and the reversal has left the president furious at Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other aides who he believes aren’t doing enough to stop the trend.
Border arrest statistics have long served as a metric for illegal immigration flows, but the Trump administration has treated their monthly publication as a barometer for the president’s security efforts.
White House aides have been receiving regular updates on illegal migration trends this spring, and administration officials said last week they were not surprised by the May numbers, expecting them to remain high into the summer. Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton said in statement Wednesday the administration’s crackdown needed more time to work.
“These numbers show that while the Trump administration is restoring the rule of law, it will take a sustained effort and continuous commitment of resources over many months to disrupt cartels, smugglers, and nefarious actors,” Houlton said.
“No one expects to reverse years of political inaction overnight or in a month,” he added.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the May numbers or on whether the president has seen them.
Eager to campaign on his border security agenda ahead of November’s midterm elections, Trump has told aides that curbing illegal immigration is crucial to GOP success. He cited the issue as one of his key achievements in a tweet Monday marking the 500th day of his presidency.
“This is my 500th Day in Office and we have accomplished a lot - many believe more than any President in his first 500 days,” the president wrote. “Massive Tax & Regulation Cuts, Military & Vets, Lower Crime & Illegal Immigration, Stronger Borders, Judgeships, Best Economy & Jobs EVER, and much more ...”
Behind the scenes, the jump in border arrests this spring has inflamed Trump and sent his aides scrambling to find ways to bring the numbers down. In April, Trump ordered National Guard troops to deploy along the border, and Nielsen and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “zero tolerance” approach that threatens anyone who enters the U.S. illegally with criminal prosecution and jail.