Trump officials claim border arrests fell again, as judge reinstates order blocking 'unconstitutional' immigration policy nationwide

Trump administration officials cite June deal with Mexico for declines in border arrests, but call on Congress to pass immigration legislation

(AP)

The number of migrants picked up by US immigration officers on the US southern border dropped by 22 per cent in August compared to the month before, according to new data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The drop comes just as a US district judge issued a court order for a nationwide halt on enforcement of Mr Trump's controversial rule that would block asylum-seekers who come through Mexico on their way to the US. That policy was one of the tactics used by the administration as it tried to stop the flow of migrants across the US border.

In a press conference in the White House on Monday, acting CBP chief Mark Morgan said that the drop to 64,000 arrests on the southern border is a credit to Donald Trump's June agreement with Mexico on immigration, which saw the country deploying troops to the borders to try and help meet the US president's demands. Overall, the Trump administration has reported a 56 per cent decline since that deal was struck.

Mr Morgan said that the administration is "absolutely encouraged" by the declining arrests, "but we know the numbers could spike upwards."

The decline follows after border arrests peaked at more than 144,000 in May, leading Mr Trump to threaten increased tariffs on Mexico if the country's president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, did not take immediate action. Overall, however, the August numbers were the highest the US has seen in a decade, and the overall arrest numbers are expected to top a million for the fiscal year ending 30 September — a rate not seen since the George W Bush administration.

In response to that threat, Mexico deployed thousands of national guard troops to the border, hoping to stop the flow of migrants from Central America from heading north.

But, Mr Morgan called on Congress during that press conference to pass immigration reforms, saying that the numbers could rise again if nothing is done.

“We cannot rely solely on the government of Mexico or our Central American partners,” Mr Morgan said. “Unless the laws change, these numbers will rise again next year.”

Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent MindsThe new numbers come after US district judge Jon Tigar, in Oakland, blocked Mr Trump's ban on asylum seekers who cross through Mexico on their way to the United States.

Mr Tigar had initially blocked the policy from being implemented in July, but a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled soon after that the judge's decision would only impact areas overseen by his district, namely California and Arizona.

The new nationwide injunction from Mr Tigar means that the US Department of Homeland Securty must suspend implementation of the rule.