A U.S. official says Border Patrol arrests fell sharply in June to the lowest level since February, ending a streak of four straight monthly increases.
The drop may reflect seasonal trends or it could signal that President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy to criminally prosecute every adult who enters the country illegally is having a deterrent effect.
The agency made more than 34,000 arrests on the border with Mexico during June, down 16 percent from more than 40,000 in May. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the numbers are not yet intended for public release.
Arrests were still more than double from roughly 16,000 in June 2017, but the sharp decline from spring could undercut the Trump administration’s narrative of a border in crisis.
