Citing concerns of the coronavirus spreading, President Trump says asylum seekers and those seeking to enter the U.S. illegally will be turned away.
The first month of the New Year marked the eighth month in a row apprehension levels declined at the southern border.
Last week Mexican security forces thwarted thousands of Central American migrants traveling in a caravan in an attempt to illegally cross into the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced enforcement actions declined for the seventh month in a row in December, marking a more than 71 percent decrease since the peak in May.
The end of year report from U.S. border patrol showed an increase in apprehensions of nearly 70 percent, while ICE reported a decrease in the number of arrests made.
Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan announced that apprehensions declined at the U.S.-Mexico border for the sixth month in a row, while drug seizures again increased.
Despite October marking the fifth consecutive month apprehensions declined at the border, drug seizures increased by more than 45 percent compared to last year.
After illegal immigrant apprehensions nearly doubled this year, the Trump administration has quietly begun a program to expedite adjudication for those claiming asylum.
