"US Illegal Border Crossings in July Hit Biden Era Low"…Harris Calls It 'Good News'

"57,000 Illegal Immigrant Arrests Last Month"
30% Sharp Decline Compared to June's Record Low

Last month, the number of illegal immigrant apprehensions crossing into the United States sharply declined, marking the lowest figure during President Joe Biden's term, according to an AP report on the 31st (local time). This is seen as good news for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been under intense attack from the Republican Party over the illegal immigration issue ahead of the U.S. presidential election this November.

According to the report, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official stated that the number of illegal immigrants apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border last month is expected to be 57,000. Although the official tally has not yet been released, this represents the lowest number during Biden's presidency. It is a decrease of more than 30% from the previous low record of 83,536 in June.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

AP noted, "This is the lowest monthly count since September 2020 (40,507), when border crossings slowed worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "The likelihood of President Biden lifting asylum restrictions has also increased." Earlier, in June, President Biden issued an executive order limiting asylum for illegal entrants crossing the southern border to ease the illegal immigration issue, which was seen as a hurdle to his reelection. This move was interpreted as a strategic effort to address weaknesses in his immigration policy ahead of a presidential debate with former President Donald Trump.

As the number of illegal immigrants, one of the Biden administration's biggest vulnerabilities, appears to be on a downward trend, analysts suggest this will also work in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential ambitions. AP stated, "The number of illegal immigrant apprehensions, which hit a record high of 250,000 in December last year, had already been halved due to Mexico's strengthened border enforcement before the Biden administration exercised its authority to suspend asylum in June," adding, "Following the June asylum restrictions, the number of apprehensions was halved again, helping to fend off Republican attacks against Harris and the Democratic Party."

Former President Trump harshly criticized Harris on the 24th of last month during a rally in North Carolina, saying, "If Harris continues to be the 'border czar,' every week bloodthirsty rapists will chase our children," and "The number of illegal immigrants keeps increasing because of fools like Harris." According to CBP, illegal crossings, which were 400,000 in 2020, surged more than fourfold to 1.65 million in 2021 after Biden took office. In December last year, a record monthly high of over 300,000 illegal entrants was recorded. It is difficult for Vice President Harris, the second-highest ranking official in the administration, to avoid responsibility for this.

Meanwhile, despite Republican leadership's advice to refrain from racial and gender attacks on presidential candidates, former President Trump raised questions about Vice President Harris's racial identity. During a discussion hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), he said, "She has always been Indian and has only promoted her Indian heritage. I don't know if she is Indian or Black." In response, Vice President Harris countered, "Trump's remarks are the same old show of division and disrespect."