With fewer than 54,000 apprehensions, September’s numbers represent the lowest total of illegal border crossings since President Joe Biden took office. According to preliminary data obtained by NBC News, the Border Patrol made under 54,000 arrests of immigrants attempting to enter the United States illegally, marking the lowest monthly figure since August 2020 during the Trump administration.
This preliminary total, which has yet to be officially released by Customs and Border Protection, aligns closely with September figures from 2018, 2019, and 2020. In September 2018, there were 50,568 migrant attempts to cross the southern border, followed by 52,546 in September 2019, and 54,771 in September 2020.
The preliminary total for this September also includes an unspecified number of apprehensions at the northern U.S. border. Although northern crossings have traditionally been a small fraction of total crossings, they have seen an increase in 2024.
