False: Trump’s claim about illegal immigration under past administrations – PolitiFact
President Donald Trump went to New York on July 28, 2017 to speak about the fight against gangs, especially the violent gang known as MS-13.
President Donald Trump, in a speech about the brutality of MS-13 gang members and his administrations resolve to deport criminal immigrants, claimed it wasnt until he came along that border crossings went down.
"You know, the border is down 78 percent. Under past administrations, the border didnt go down, it went up. But if it went down 1 percent, it was like this was a great thing. Down 78 percent," Trump said in New York on July 28. "And, in fact, the southern border of Mexico, we did them a big favor -- believe me.They get very little traffic in there anymore, because they know they're not going to get through the border to the United States. So that whole group has been incredible, led by General (John) Kelly."
Trump congratulated Kelly for doing "an incredible job" as secretary of Homeland Security, and at a July31 Cabinet meeting the first for Kelly as Trump's new chief of staff reiterated his pride for reductions in illegal immigration.
"As you know, the border was a tremendous problem, and theyre close to 80 percent stoppage. And even the president of Mexico called me they said their southern border, very few people are coming because they know theyre not going to get through our border, which is the ultimate compliment," Trump said.
Based on past statements Trump has made, his remarks that "the border is down 78 percent" refer to apprehensions of immigrants trying to enter the country illegally. But calculations of different time periods do not show a 78 percent decline.
The claim that under past administrations apprehensions did not go down is not accurate.
The border is down 78 percent
Trump uses different timeframes to make a case that illegal immigration is down. He has looked at year-over-year March border apprehension data to say theres been a 64 percent decline; compared February 2017 numbers to the election month, November 2016, to say its gone down 61 percent; and said there was a 40 percent decline from January, the month he was inaugurated, to February.
Where does the 78 percent come from? We asked the White House but did not get a response.
From June 2016 to June 2017, apprehensions at the southwest border went down 53 percent.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection data also show that from November to June (latest available figures), apprehensions by border patrol agents declined about 66 percent. From January to June, it declined 49 percent. From Trumps first full month in office, February, to June, it went down 14 percent.
And though they remain low, the number of apprehensions actually picked up in May and in June.
As the Washington Posts Fact Checker noted, Trumps claim of apprehensions nearing 80 percent is clearer when comparing cherry-picked figures: the highest point in fiscal year 2017 (November) to the lowest point (April). That yields a 76.4 percent decline.
The border didnt go down, it went up
Trump also claimed, "Under past administrations, the border didnt go down, it went up. But if it went down 1 percent, it was like this was a great thing."
In fact, apprehensions have gone down under past administrations.
Unauthorized immigration also fell dramatically during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, said Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center.
Analyses of monthly and annual apprehension statistics show declines for both Bush and Obamas administrations.
"No matter how you look at it, Trump is far from the first U.S. president to preside over big drops in unauthorized immigration," Wilson said.
Apprehension rates at the southern border have plummeted since the 1980s. In 1986 there were 1.6 million apprehensions about 1.2 million more than in 2016.
The decline hasnt been as steady, however, as there have been increases and decreases over the years.
During the 1980s, there was an annual average of 1 million border patrol apprehensions at the southwest border. During the Obama administration, the average was below 500,000.
FactCheck.org also pointed out that apprehensions declined 75 percent from fiscal years 2000 to 2016.
Our ruling
Referring to border apprehensions, Trump said, "The border is down 78 percent. Under past administrations, the border didnt go down, it went up."
Calculations of the latest figures available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection do not show a 78 percent decline in apprehensions. The closest number to that would be based on cherry-picked numbers of the highest number of apprehensions in November to the lowest number, in April.
Though there have been fluctuations over the years in the number of apprehensions, they certainly have gone down under past administrations.
We rate Trumps claim False.
Share the Facts
2017-08-03 14:02:57 UTC
2
1
7
False
"The border is down 78 percent. Under past administrations, the border didnt go down -- it went up."
Donald Trump
President of the United States
in a speech
Friday, July 28, 2017
2017-07-28
Excerpt from:
False: Trump's claim about illegal immigration under past administrations - PolitiFact
- Arizona border, once the busiest in the nation for illegal immigration, goes quiet - The Arizona Republic - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- House sends anti-illegal immigration bill to Ivey's desk, another to the Senate - 1819 News - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration, cockfighting arrests made in South Mississippi ICE bust - Yahoo - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her 'you seem to have no sympathy' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her you seem to have no sympathy - WFIN - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- ICE and U.S. Border Patrol assist in local sex crime investigation involving previously deported illegal alien - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- White House touts 100-day illegal immigration crackdown after Biden 'unsecured the border on purpose' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- In a first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners, ICE Miami and Florida law enforcement arrested nearly 800 illegal aliens this... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- More than 990 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in April - Texas Border Business - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Rep. Wilson urges people to call, threaten lawmakers over uptick in illegal immigration detentions - Fox News - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why is the Church advocating illegal immigration? - Amityville Record - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why sheriffs across Ohio are joining ICE in crackdown on illegal immigration - News 5 Cleveland WEWS - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Rachel Reeves must combine EU deals with cutting illegal immigration - The Times - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- The Washington Post Needs to Get its Facts Straight Regarding Illegal Aliens and Social Security - Federation for American Immigration Reform - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in March - Texas Border Business - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Mayor Donna Deegan and others speak at press conference concerning Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Act - The Florida Times-Union - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged With Immigration-Related Crimes In A Week - RTTNews - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Erdogans Turkey is Weaponizing Illegal Immigration Europe Must Wake Up - The Times of Israel - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- U.S. Cracks Down on Illegal Immigration: Follow the Law and You Will Find Opportunity - US Embassy in Montenegro - USEmbassy.gov - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Deegan says she is reviewing illegal immigration bill before signing it. But councilman says shes making excuses - WJXT News4JAX - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Labour has changed precisely nothing on illegal immigration - The Telegraph - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Cleveland attorney says green card application pause 'has nothing to do with illegal immigration' - ideastream - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Sanders recognizes Trumps efforts on border, fentanyl: Nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate - The Hill - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Federal authorities charge over 800 illegal aliens with immigration crimes in just 1 week - Fox News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- US Embassy in Morocco Warns Against Illegal Immigration Amid Tightened Visa Policies - Morocco World News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Navy deploys additional warship to curb illegal immigration, drug smuggling at the southern border - Fox News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Trump Administration Plans Military Buffer Zone Along the Southern Border to Deter Illegal Immigration - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Praise to Trump for Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration - American Family Association - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Dominican Immigration Authorities and Transport Sector unite against illegal immigration - Dominican Today - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- How state lawmakers are trying to crack down on illegal immigration - The Texas Tribune - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Exclusive | Trump border czar Tom Homan heads to Albany to call out NY Dems over pro-illegal immigration policies - New York Post - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Exclusive | Trump border czar Tom Homan heads to Albany to call out NY Dems over pro-illegal immigration policies - New York Post - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE San Diego arrests violent criminal illegal alien convicted of attempted murder after reentering the US over 7 times - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE San Diego arrests violent criminal illegal alien convicted of attempted murder after reentering the US over 7 times - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- 4 illegal aliens charged with firearms offenses as a result of an ICE Las Cruces and ATF investigation - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE apprehends illegal alien with ties to Nicaraguan massacre and Mexican drug cartel - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Idaho Senate moves ahead with criminalizing illegal immigration - Boise State Public Radio - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Idaho Senate moves ahead with criminalizing illegal immigration - Boise State Public Radio - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration crackdown: Detention facilities are now full - Seeking Alpha - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration crackdown: Detention facilities are now full - Seeking Alpha - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Mass Illegal Immigration Leads to Tragedies Like the Williams Kids - Sacramento Observer - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Mass Illegal Immigration Leads to Tragedies Like the Williams Kids - Sacramento Observer - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Kerala's Ernakulam offers classes on safe migration, how to spot fake agencies, amid rise in illegal immigration: Report - Deccan Herald - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- WATCH: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey Talks About Illegal Immigration Initiative to Assist Federal Agencies - SpaceCoastDaily.com - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- How Many Illegal Aliens Are in the United States? 2025 Update - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- JD Vance touts Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration in Texas - CBS News - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- ICE forced to release some illegal migrants who could pose danger to Americans: immigration attorney - Fox News - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- More needed to stop illegal immigration - The Pantagraph - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- Vance: Increases In Housing Linked To Increases In Illegal Immigration - The Daily Wire - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- DeSantis, Trump administration partner on cracking down on illegal immigration in Florida - Miami Herald - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Six-time deported gang member wanted for murder busted in Texas illegal immigration sting - Fox News - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Fact-checking the Trump White Houses claims about illegal immigration dropping sharply - PBS NewsHour - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE, BP and law enforcement partners intercept human smuggling load that results in the arrest of 8 illegal aliens - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE arrests another illegal alien outside Northampton County Prison, following countys release and failure to honor immigration detainer - U.S.... - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE Boston arrests illegal Brazilian alien charged with raping Massachusetts resident - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- 40 Chinese nationals repatriated from Thailand in joint crackdown on illegal immigration - Xinhua - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- All 67 of Floridas county sheriffs agree to work with ICE to crack down on illegal immigration - Florida Politics - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Kansas AG Kris Kobach says KBI agents will work with ICE on illegal immigration - The Topeka Capital-Journal - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- ICE Boston arrests illegal Guatemalan national charged with forcibly raping Massachusetts minor - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- Texas and Trump boost cooperation to prevent illegal immigration at the U.S. - Mexico border - CBS News - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- ICE Washington, D.C. and FBI Washington, D.C. arrest 7 illegal aliens in Northern Virginia operation - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- ICE Seattle captures illegal aliens with histories of unlawful entries into the US - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- India, US commit to tackling illegal immigration, human trafficking: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri - The Tribune India - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Trump admin ends deportation protections for massive number of Venezuelans amid illegal immigration crackdown - Fox News - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Explained: India-US ties and the illegal immigration issue - The Indian Express - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Armstrong Williams | Will the government follow Trump's lead on illegal immigration? | Columns | tribdem.com - TribDem.com - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- ICE arrests top 5,500 in first week of Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration - ABC NEWS 4 - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration Would Raise Wages for Lower-Income Americans - Heritage.org - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- 'Newsom-proof California': Lawmaker proposes bill to strengthen fight against illegal immigration, trafficking - AOL - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Four Bangladeshi women arrested in Thane for illegal immigration - The Times of India - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Northwest Florida schools brace for possible ICE raids amid illegal immigration crackdown - WEAR - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Ending Illegal Immigration in the United States - Department of State - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Woolley Addresses Illegal Immigration with Bills to Protect Oklahoma Jobs, Track School Funds - Oklahoma House of Representatives - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Illegal Immigration and Fentanyl at the U.S. Northern and Southwest Borders - FactCheck.org - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Undocumented migrants in New York arrested in Trump crackdown on illegal immigration - NBC News - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Modi and Trump call: US president says India 'will do what's right' on illegal immigration - BBC.com - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- NGOs 'outrageously' profit from illegal immigration, former DHS advisor says - Fox News - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- DHS announces launch of new office for victims of illegal immigrant crime - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- MO Senate Hears Discussions Related To Illegal Immigration This Week - krmsradio.com - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Planes carrying expelled migrants arrive in Latin America as US cracks down on illegal immigration - FRANCE 24 English - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]