The drop in apprehensions, to just over 42,500 people, follows weeks of chaos along the border amid the implementation of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy.
WASHINGTON — Federal immigration agents apprehended just over 42,500 people at the southwestern border in June, according to data released on Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, a drop in the number of migrants trying to enter the United States after a spike the previous three months.
Border Patrol agents arrested 34,114 people trying to enter the country while customs officers at ports of entry denied entry to 8,451 people, including families and children who showed up at the border alone, the numbers show.
About 5,562 unaccompanied children showed up at the border in June, while 12,192 people traveling in family groups were denied entry, the data shows.
The apprehension statistics show a drop in the number of people trying to enter the country after the numbers exceeded more than 50,000 in each of the three months before June. That came after a year in which the numbers of people apprehended had dropped to a more-than 40-year low.
On Thursday, Homeland Security officials attributed the drop in apprehensions to the hard-line immigration policies of the Trump administration.
“Following the implementation of the administration’s zero-tolerance policy, the June 2018 southwest border migration numbers declined by 18 percent when compared to the previous month,” said Tyler Q. Houlton, a department spokesman, who was referring to the administration’s policy that seeks to prosecute all people who illegally enter the country.
The new policy resulted in thousands of children being separated from their families and prompted national protests.
Mr. Trump signed an executive order last month directing agencies to stop separating children from their families, but said the zero-tolerance policy remained in force. The president signed the executive order days after he said the only way to end the division of families was through congressional action, because “you can’t do it through an executive order.”
But he changed his mind after a barrage of criticism from congressional Democrats, immigration activists and even some Republicans.
The increase in the number of people attempting to enter the country had become a source of frustration for the Trump administration.
Some White House officials had accused the department of not doing enough to reduce the number of illegal crossings. Mr. Trump ordered thousands of National Guard troops to the border to help the Border Patrol. The troops are not allowed to take part in immigration enforcement, however.
Still, despite the drop in the number of people caught trying to cross the border last month, the data suggest that thousands of men, women and children are still willing to brave the long trek from Central America to escape violent gangs and drug cartels.
