Well, folks, here we are again, witnessing what some are already dubbing the “Trump effect” at the U.S. southern border. In just a few days under President Donald Trump’s second administration, illegal immigrant encounters have plummeted by a stunning 35% compared to the waning days of the Biden administration. The message seems clear: a decisive shift in border policy can have an immediate impact, and Trump has wasted no time in making that shift happen.
Let’s break down the numbers. According to multiple Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources, the final three days of Biden’s presidency saw 3,908 illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border. By comparison, in Trump’s first three days, that number dropped to 2,523 — a decline of over a third. While daily and weekly fluctuations at the border are normal, this kind of sharp and immediate decrease is anything but.
And make no mistake, Trump’s policies are a big part of why. On Day One, he came out swinging with executive orders declaring a national emergency at the border, deploying the military to assist Border Patrol, and scrapping Biden-era tools like the CBP One app, which was used to process migrants at ports of entry through humanitarian parole. Trump’s orders send a clear signal: the days of open-border policies and lax enforcement are over.
Trump didn’t stop there. His administration has reinstated key Trump-era policies like the “Remain-in-Mexico” program, which forces migrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases are processed. He’s also restarted border wall construction, something that had been stalled under Biden. And then there’s the executive order ending birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants — a move that immediately sparked lawsuits from Democratic-led states but signals a new era of immigration enforcement.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has rescinded the Biden administration’s restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE agents are now active across the country, executing a mass deportation campaign aimed at removing illegal immigrants. DHS has also expanded the use of expedited removal for recent arrivals, further discouraging migrants from attempting to cross the border illegally.
Let’s not forget the role perception plays here. The “Trump effect” isn’t just about policy—it’s about the message being sent. Under Biden, the southern border saw record-breaking surges of illegal immigrants, with over 2 million encounters annually, as many migrants believed they’d face little resistance at the border. Trump, however, has long been seen as a hardliner on immigration, and his swift actions upon reentering the White House seem to be discouraging migrants from even attempting the journey. The data, though preliminary, suggests that migrants are already getting the memo: the rules have changed.
It’s also worth noting that the Biden administration, despite its attempts at spin, had begun quietly tightening its immigration policies in recent months. Biden signed an executive order in June limiting asylum, but it was too little, too late after years of lax enforcement and mixed messages. Trump’s approach, by contrast, has been immediate and unapologetic, signaling that he intends to deliver on his promises without delay.
Of course, Trump’s bold moves haven’t come without controversy. His executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants has already triggered lawsuits from nearly two dozen states, and immigration activists are decrying the reinstatement of policies like “Remain-in-Mexico.” But for Trump and his supporters, these measures are long overdue corrections to what they see as years of mismanagement and open-border chaos under Biden.
The impact of these changes will continue to unfold in the weeks and months ahead, but the early numbers speak volumes. With fewer migrants attempting to cross the border, the “Trump effect” is already making waves. Whether this trend continues or faces significant legal and logistical hurdles remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Trump is delivering on his promise to prioritize border security and put America first.
