Illegal Border Crossings Fall

According to August data, encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border have fallen since their peak in December. Outlets on the left attributed the fall to stricter border security and increased collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico, while the Daily Caller (Right bias) suggested unauthorized immigrants were entering the country in other ways.

The Data: According to Pew Research Center (Center bias), encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border fell 77% between December 2023 and August 2024. Part of the cause may be due to Mexico adding security checkpoints at major highways. President Biden also disqualified those who entered the country illegally from winning asylum via an executive order he issued in June. 

Other Entry Points: The Daily Caller said, "Despite the apparent easing, illegal migrants have continued to enter the U.S. through other means, such as the CBP One app and the CHNV program." The CBP One app allows immigrants to schedule appointments with federal immigration authorities at a port of entry, apply for exemptions and travel authorizations, and obtain parole. The app was established in October 2020, and the Biden administration expanded its use in January 2023. Between January 2023 and August 2024, 813,000 migrants have scheduled appointments in the app. The CHNV program provides travel authorization for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to come to the U.S. with the support of a sponsor. Through the end of August 2024, 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans entered the U.S. using the CHNV program.

How the Media Covered It: The decrease in border crossings was covered more by outlets on the left than the right.