☰
HomeLiving Beyond BordersGZERO WorldSignalIn 60 SecondsPuppet RegimeGZERO World PodcastContact UsAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyTerms

Graphic Truth: Illegal Immigration to the US hits record lows

May 18, 2025
Alex Kliment
and
Luisa Vieira
​Graph of illegal immigration to the US.
Graph of illegal immigration to the US.
Luisa Vieira

The number of people attempting to cross the Southwest US border illegally has fallen to historic lows, with authorities reporting barely 8,000 “encounters” with undocumented migrants per month. That’s a staggering decline from the 200,000 such encounters per month in most of 2023, a year when illegal immigration hit record highs.

Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has cracked down hard on illegal immigration both at the border and inside the country, in some cases testing the constitutional limits of his authority. This has dissuaded migrants from entering the US illegally, making immigration policy the most popular policy of Trump’s second term.

But a closer look at the data shows that the numbers had been declining significantly throughout 2024, as the Biden Administration, in reaction to the popularity of Trump’s strong borders campaign messaging, moved to tighten access, expedite removals, and streamline asylum applications.

Here’s the monthly data since 2022. What jumps out at you?

More from GZERO Media

Hard Numbers: Russian drones hammer Ukraine, Israeli forces enter Gaza, Moody’s downgrades US debt, Pope Leo gets political, Austria wins Eurovision

Residents are seen next to houses heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, outside of Kyiv, Ukraine May 18, 2025.
REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

273: Russia launched273 drones in the Kyiv region of Ukraine Sunday, killing one woman and causing widespread damage in its biggest drone attack of the war.

At Eurovision 2025: Glitter, geopolitics, and a sauna diss track

KAJ performing Bara Bada Bastu for Sweden at the First Semi-Final in St. Jakobshalle
EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Europe’s glitter-soaked, pyrotechnic-powered, music competition fever dream – otherwise known as the Eurovision Song Contest – takes place Saturday in Basel, Switzerland at 9pm CEST (3pm ET). It’s part talent show, part geopolitical popularity contest, and fully unhinged fun.

Is Europe ready for self-defense?

EU leaders visit Kyiv
Kyodo via Reuters

For decades, French governments have talked up the value of “Collective European Defense,” an alliance fully invested in Europe’s security outside of NATO. For decades, the point was academic, because Germany and Britain valued the transatlantic relationship too highly to take steps that might discourage US commitment.

About UsCareers PressContact Us Privacy PolicyTerms of Use
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.