A historic turnaround at the border

By U.S. Rep. Tom Cole
R-Oklahoma

When it came to our nation’s immigration policies, the Biden Administration refused to enforce the law. Within just the first 100 days of the previous administration, President Biden took 94 executive actions, including removing Remain in Mexico and Title 42, halting border wall construction, and reinstating Catch-and-Release, in an attempt to make it easier for immigrants to illegally enter and stay in our country.

These calculated actions resulted in a raging illegal immigration disaster. Massive surges of illegals – including criminals, gang members, and terrorists - were constantly swarming our border, jeopardizing our national security and giving cartels free reign to push deadly fentanyl into every community throughout the United States. In fact, under President Biden, the average number of monthly border encounters was nearly 160,000 with the daily average peaking at 15,000. In total, CBP recorded approximately 11 million border encounters over the course of President Biden’s four years. Additionally, nearly 64,000 pounds of fentanyl was seized at the southern border – enough to kill 14 billion people.

However, we have now seen a historic and extraordinary turnaround. In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, he has delivered the most secure border in modern American history – and he didn’t need legislation to do it.

Illegal “getaways” at the border are down by 95 percent and migrant crossings are down by 99.99 percent. March 2025 saw the lowest monthly number of border encounters in recorded history. Fentanyl traffic at the southern border fell by 54 percent and arrests and deportations have skyrocketed. The Laken Riley Act has been signed into law, and all taxpayer-funded public benefits for illegal aliens have been terminated.

President Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown began on day one. Now, as a result, our border is protected, the American people are safer, and we are sending a strong message to the world: the United States of America is strong and secure.

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