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Abbott Claims Sharp Drop in Illegal Border Crossings Under Trump Administration

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has asserted that illegal border crossings have significantly decreased in certain areas since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Abbott’s claims, made during an interview on CNBC’s "Squawk Box," directly contrast with the situation he described under the Biden administration. The governor attributed this purported shift to Trump’s stringent immigration policies and a renewed focus on enforcing existing laws.

According to Abbott, the situation in El Paso serves as a prime example of this transformation. He stated that prior to Trump’s return, El Paso experienced daily border crossings numbering in the thousands, sometimes reaching as high as 3,000 individuals. He said these numbers have plummeted to single digits under Trump, claiming only around nine people now cross the border illegally in El Paso each day.

"I was with some officials from El Paso last night, and they said that where there had been 3,000 people crossing the border, sometimes a day, just in El Paso, there were now nine — nine people a day," Abbott said.

These assertions coincide with the implementation of Trump’s revived border security measures. The former president, who campaigned on a platform of addressing what he described as a "Biden border crisis," has swiftly moved to reinstate policies reminiscent of his first term.

Key components of Trump’s strategy include resuming construction of the border wall, a signature promise from his initial presidential campaign. This physical barrier is intended to deter illegal crossings and funnel migrants towards official ports of entry.

Furthermore, the Trump administration is encouraging undocumented immigrants to "self-deport" through the CBP Home app, a government application designed to facilitate their removal from the United States. The specific mechanics and effectiveness of this approach remain subjects of debate and scrutiny.

Perhaps the most controversial element of Trump’s immigration policy is the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. This rarely used law grants the president broad authority to detain and deport non-citizens deemed a threat to national security. The implications of this law for due process and civil liberties are currently under intense legal and political scrutiny.

Abbott emphasized that the treatment of illegal immigrants under Trump differs dramatically from that under Biden. He asserted that the current administration prioritizes the strict enforcement of immigration laws.

"The people who do make it across the border now, they are immediately arrested and then deported, and as a result, discouraging people from entering the border again," Abbott explained.

The governor argued that the stark contrast in border security between the two administrations is undeniable. He suggested that the perceived lack of enforcement under Biden led to an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration.

"We’ve never seen a change as much as we saw four years ago, and now this year, with regard to what’s happening on the border," Abbott stated. He attributed what he termed a "complete failure to enforce the immigration laws" under the previous administration to the record influx of migrants.

Abbott further claimed that this surge in illegal immigration resulted in a dramatic increase in crime across the country.

"And as a result, we saw an all-time record number of people crossing the border illegally, more than 11 million people, including people who are known murderers, rapists and gang members and cartel members. And as a result, the crime across the country skyrocketed," he said.

It is important to note that linking illegal immigration directly to a rise in overall crime rates is a complex and often debated issue. Studies on the relationship between immigration and crime have yielded mixed results, and attributing causation remains challenging.

Abbott concluded by reiterating his belief that Trump’s policies have had an immediate and profound impact on border security, dramatically reducing the flow of illegal immigration.

"Now, in the immediate aftermath of the Trump election and Trump taking office, it’s gone from 11 million people across the border illegally to just a trickle, as in, just a handful of people," he said.

While Abbott presents a compelling narrative of transformation at the border, his claims warrant careful examination. Independent verification of the specific figures he cites, particularly the drop to single-digit crossings in El Paso, is crucial. Furthermore, it is important to consider the potential for external factors, such as changes in economic conditions in migrants’ home countries or evolving enforcement strategies by other nations, to contribute to fluctuations in border crossings. Finally, it is important to consider the source of the information the governor is using. He cited officials from El Paso, which may not represent the situation at the entire border.

The debate over border security and immigration policy is likely to remain highly charged and politically sensitive. As such, it is essential to approach claims and statistics with a critical eye and to seek out diverse perspectives and sources of information.