Since his return to the White House in January of last year, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he would be tougher on immigration, as exemplified by the $85 billion allocated to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the reinforcement of deportations. These policies appear to be having an effect outside the country as well, since according to federal government statistics analyzed by the Pew Research Center, encounters with migrants at the US-Mexico border are at their lowest level in over 50 years.

According to counts from fiscal year 2025, which began in October 2024 and ended in September 2025, border agents recorded an encounter with approximately 240,000 immigrants at the border, a smaller number than the more than 1.5 million recorded in 2024. This number reached more than 2 million in 2023 and hit a record in 2022, which exceeded the 2.2 million mark. Before 2025, the lowest number had been recorded in 1970.

However, it is important to clarify that these numbers refer to encounters with immigrants, not just the individuals themselves, because some deported individuals may attempt to cross the border later. This scenario can be understood through a series of initiatives from the Biden and Trump eras, aimed at reducing illegal immigration in the country. For example, while still in office, Biden signed an agreement on the subject with then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, leading Mexico to reinforce its borders. In addition, Biden implemented restrictions for immigrants seeking asylum in the country. Soon after taking office, Trump declared a border emergency with Mexico and increased spending on immigration and security forces, increasing deportations and arrests of immigrants.

Thus, it is noteworthy how this reinforcement against immigration by the current administration contributed to this reduction, considering that, considering the fiscal year of 2025, which included four months of Joe Biden's presidency, a large part of the decrease occurred with the return of Donald Trump. It is important to note that since February 2025, border agents have recorded fewer than 10,000 encounters monthly at the southern border. In other words, it is evident that the first year of Trump's new term was heavily focused on reducing immigration to the country.

In general, the reasons these individuals have for immigrating are varied, including economic, violence, political, and security situations not found in their countries of origin. However, considering that there are still three years left in the term, it is difficult to analyze whether this trend will continue and what the impacts will be on US society and the economy.