US Election 2024 Live: Border arrests fall in September in last monthly gauge before US elections
The number of arrests made for illegally crossing the US-Mexico border decreased by 7% in September, reaching the lowest point in over four years, as reported by authorities on Tuesday. This is expected to be the final monthly assessment during the presidential campaign, where Republican candidate Donald Trump has emphasized immigration as a key issue.
According to US Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol made 53,858 arrests in September, a decline from 58,009 in August and the lowest number since August 2020, when arrests amounted to 47,283.
Mexicans comprised nearly half of the arrests, becoming a more significant part of the overall composition. In contrast, during the peak of arrests in December, which reached an unprecedented 250,000, Mexicans accounted for less than 25% of the total. Arrests of individuals from other major nationalities commonly encountered at the border, such as Guatemalans, Hondurans, Colombians, and Ecuadoreans, have seen a sharp decline this year.
Among the busiest regions for illegal border crossings in September, San Diego remained at the top, followed by El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Arizona.