Illegal border crossings have significantly declined since President Donald Trump took office last month, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Leavitt, speaking at Tuesday’s news briefing, said illegal crossings at the border are at a 15-year low, noting the numbers plummeted during the weekend.

In a statement, the White House said a recent report by The Associated Press shows migrants who were likely planning to illegally cross the border “have ‘given up’ and are returning to their own countries — citing the Trump administration’s unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration, including the shutdown of the ‘CBP One’ app, as the driving factor.”

“It’s a victory for national security after four years of open borders. In President Trump’s first month back in office, illegal border crossings hit lows not seen in decades — down 94% over last year, while interior arrests are up 134%,” the statement said.

The Border Patrol made 21,593 arrests in January, down from 47,316 in December, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“Call it the Trump Effect,” the White House said in a separate statement.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted about the new numbers and praised Trump’s efforts.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re already seeing historic results at the southern border. We just broke a 15-year record — only 200 encounters in one day, compared to 15,000 daily under Biden. Strong policies. Real results,” Noem posted on X Monday.

“Thank you to President @realDonaldTrump and our brave men & women of @CBP. Make America Safe Again,” Noem wrote in a separate post.

Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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