The U.S.-Mexican border fence near Nogales.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arrests of people entering the United States illegally across the Mexican border plummeted last month, the head of Homeland Security said, a signal that fewer people are trying to sneak into the U.S.
Written testimony from John Kelly submitted to a Senate panel said that fewer than 12,500 people were caught crossing the border last month, compared with more than 43,000 detained in December.
It's the lowest monthly figure in at least 17 years.
Kelly said the decrease is "no accident" and credited President Donald Trump's approach to illegal immigration. The Trump administration has not yet changed how the border is patrolled, but the president's tough talk on immigration and arrests of immigrants living in the country illegally have likely acted as deterrents.
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