U.S. Sees Drop in Migrants Caught, Blocked at Southern Border

(Bloomberg) -- The number of people apprehended or turned away at the U.S.-Mexico border fell for the fourth consecutive month in September as the Trump administration pushes to curb crossings, though numbers remain higher than in recent years.

U.S. officials apprehended or denied entrance to roughly 52,000 migrants in September, down from about 64,000 in August, according to Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who spoke to reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

The decline comes as Mexico steps up efforts to halt migrant flows as part of a June deal with President Donald Trump, who had threatened to impose tariffs on all Mexican goods unless the country helped stem migration. Part of the accord included Mexico dispatching national guard soldiers to its southern border to help intercept the migrants.

“What they’re doing right now is incredible,” Morgan said of Mexico’s efforts.

To contact the reporters on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net;Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum, Joshua Gallu

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.