US-Mexico border arrests rise for third straight month under Trump

Migrant arrests at the US-Mexico border hit the highest level under Donald Trump's second term in April

Illegal border crossings from Mexico to the United States rose for the third straight month in April, reaching the highest level in President Donald Trump’s second term. The increase comes at a politically sensitive time for the White House, as its hardline immigration strategy faces scrutiny over enforcement tactics and rising humanitarian risks, Bloomberg reported.

 

According to data from US Customs and Border Protection compiled by Bloomberg, Border Patrol agents made 8,943 arrests along the south-west border in April. While that figure is historically low compared with recent years, it marks an increase of nearly 50 per cent from January, when Trump returned to office.

   

The rise is significant because border enforcement has been one of the Trump administration’s strongest political talking points. Since January 2025, the White House has repeatedly highlighted the sharp fall in illegal crossings as proof that stricter immigration policies and military-backed border controls were working.

 

Border numbers still low by historical standards

 

Despite the recent increase, border arrests remain substantially lower than during former President Joe Biden’s tenure, when millions of migrants were intercepted attempting to cross into the US over four years.

 

Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration has deployed thousands of military personnel to reinforce border operations, alongside Border Patrol agents already stationed there. Washington has also directed billions of dollars towards expanding physical barriers and strengthening surveillance infrastructure.

 

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration had effectively ended the long-criticised “catch and release” system, under which some migrants were allowed to remain in the US while awaiting immigration hearings.

 

“Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history,” Mullin said in a statement cited by Bloomberg.

 

He added that border officials had not released anyone caught crossing illegally over the past year.

 

Political controversy clouds immigration success

 

The border increase comes amid political turbulence surrounding the administration’s wider immigration enforcement measures.

 

Bloomberg reported that two Americans were killed in January during separate encounters involving immigration agents in Minnesota. The incidents triggered protests and investigations, intensifying criticism of aggressive enforcement operations.

 

The controversy also contributed to the removal of Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary in March. She was reportedly dismissed following disagreements over the direction of immigration policy and criticism from sections of the Republican Party regarding the administration’s tactics.

 

Her successor, former Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, has taken a more restrained public approach. Bloomberg reported that Mullin has focused on promoting targeted enforcement operations instead of large-scale raids designed to attract publicity.

 

The department has also reportedly slowed plans to expand detention infrastructure, including proposals to convert warehouses into large migrant holding facilities.

 

Smuggling routes becoming more dangerous

 

Officials remain uncertain about what is driving the latest increase in border arrests. Historically, migration attempts tend to rise during spring and early summer before extreme heat reduces crossings later in the year.

 

However, Bloomberg noted that migration patterns have become increasingly unpredictable over the past decade, especially as asylum seekers from multiple regions began travelling north through Mexico.

 

With security tightened along major crossing points, migrants are increasingly relying on smugglers and attempting more dangerous routes to avoid detection.

 

These include:

 

• Remote desert corridors
• Mountain terrain along isolated border stretches
• Maritime crossings near the California coast

 

The humanitarian risks linked to these journeys are also rising.

 

Earlier this week, six migrants were found dead inside a train boxcar near Laredo, Texas, Bloomberg reported, citing Associated Press coverage that said at least one victim died from heat stroke.

 

Separately, US Customs and Border Protection’s air and marine unit intercepted 60 migrants in three separate smuggling operations in the Pacific Ocean last month. One incident involved 29 Mexican migrants near San Nicolas Island off Southern California, according to Bloomberg.

 

Enforcement transition underway

 

The latest figures also arrive during a leadership transition within US border agencies.

 

Todd Lyons, acting director of Customs and Border Protection, recently announced plans to retire. US Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks is also stepping down, Bloomberg reported.

 

Both officials had overseen several high-profile enforcement operations that at times led to confrontations between protesters and immigration authorities.