San Diego border sees decrease in migrant crossings

SAN DIEGO (CNN, KYMA/KECY) - The situation at the southern U.S. border is changing, according to officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

There's evidence U.S. policies discouraging asylum seekers and other migrants are having an effect.

The San Diego border with Mexico has looked different these last couple months. Patrol agents are seeing less asylum seekers and treating them differently than before.

"We saw historic migration numbers earlier in the year. We drastically increased our enforcement efforts and saw a significant decrease in encounters," said Troy Miller, Commissioner for CBP.

CBP data shows that agents encountered 10,000 fewer people at the San Diego border from June to July. Miller attributes that drop to President Joe Biden's asylum ban.

When asked how exactly CBP is enacting the president's asylum crackdown, and if they are deporting asylum seekers, Miller said, "First of all, we are putting more individuals into expedited removal which is enhanced consequences."

Expedited removal essentially allows immigration officers to remove non-citizens without a hearing.

Human rights advocate Pedro Rios believes migrants are finding other dangerous ways to cross the border illegally.

"The degradation of the asylum process is what were seeing. It's now being normalized and its very concerning," Rios expressed.

Miller says CBP has been able to focus its resources at the ports of entry and intercept more drugs like fentanyl.

"All that work has enabled us to further increase our focus on disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations," Miller shared.

He says CBP is also working with Central and South American governments to step up enforcement before these drugs reach the U.S. border.