The Border Patrol made 137,480 arrests of people entering from Mexico, 2.3% less than in February. It is the first time since 2017 that arrests fell in the month of March, a time when they usually spike.
Mexico detained 240,000 times in the first two months of the year, more than triple the number in the same period in 2023. Tucson, Arizona, once again became the busiest of the nine sectors that the Border Patrol has on the border with Mexico in March. The arrest count excludes new and expanded pathways to legally enter the country under presidential executive orders, which allow people to stay temporarily and apply for work permits. More than 400,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela have been allowed to enter the U.S. through CBP One through March, after presenting themselves online with a financial sponsor and arriving at an airport by paying for their entry. The White House says it is still considering executive action to suspend asylum at the border if crossings reach a certain threshold.