US Border Patrol records drop in migrant apprehensions in November

The number of migrants apprehended illegally at the US borders with Mexico and Canada fell in November, according to a senior US border official. This is part of a months-long trend that belies President-elect Donald Trump's claim that illegal immigration is out of control.

According to a preliminary count by the US Border Patrol, about 47,000 migrants were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in November, down from nearly 57,000 in October and marking the lowest monthly total since July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic and when Trump was still in office. Around 700 migrants were apprehended at the border with Canada, a decrease from 1,300 in October.

These figures coincide with a series of measures taken by President Joe Biden in June to prevent illegal border crossings, including restrictions that make it impossible for most people entering illegally to claim asylum. At the same time, Mexico has strengthened its border controls and stopped hundreds of thousands of migrants who were on their way to the US. Despite this progress, Trump, who recaptured the White House last month, has promised to continue fighting illegal immigration and blamed the Biden administration for the high numbers of migrants.