SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico — In the span of four quiet hours on the border, just one migrant was caught crossing illegally — and he was met by six burly federal agents who said he’d be sent back to Mexico the same day.
The migrant, a 23-year-old Mexican national named Jovani, burst into tears and proclaimed his support for President Trump.
“I support Trump because he’s someone who seems like he doesn’t like those who commit crimes,” he said after being busted.
He added: “I’m in agreement with Trump’s push to deport the bad people. But not the good people.”
On an average day this week, border agents in the El Paso sector, which covers west Texas and New Mexico, have caught fewer than 100 migrants crossing illegally — all thanks to the Trump border administration’s crackdown.
That’s down dramatically from the peak of 1,800 per day in 2023, and even a major reduction from the 277 whom agents were catching in December.
Across the entire southern boundary at the beginning of the month, border agents have caught an average of 359 illegal migrants per day — putting the US on track for the lowest monthly border crossings in 25 years or more, according to leaked Customs and Border Protection data.
“It doesn’t matter if it took you 30 days, 40 days, 60 days to make that illegal crossing, we’ll expedite removal and have you in your country of origin within hours,” Border Patrol agent Orlando Marrero-Rubio told The Post on a recent ride-along in the El Paso border sector.
Jovani, 23, tried to run from Border Patrol through the dark, remote brush of the wild west desert of Sunland Park after scaling the border wall.
It was his second attempt crossing the border, which just cost him $7,000 in smuggling fees to the coyotes, or cartel operatives, who helped him make entry.
“I’m very sad because I couldn’t cross, because I couldn’t get to where I wanted to go,” said Jovani as he showed The Post cuts he sustained on his hands from repelling down the border wall.
“I’m worried about deportations because this is my second time crossing. It’s frustrating because you’re coming here for a good reason. I’m a good guy, I’ve got no tattoos, followed the law, and haven’t done anything wrong to anybody. I just want to work and help my family.”
He said he was an electrician who was just trying to make money for his family — and crossed the border illegally because it was too complicated to try to get permission to work legally in the US.
Jovani’s complaints are common among migrants caught at the border these days, Marrero-Rubio said.
Most migrants, knowing they’re more than likely going to be deported now that Trump is back in office, are trying to sneak across without getting caught.
Under the Biden administration’s “catch and release” policy, migrants turned themselves in, knowing that they’d almost certainly be processed and then released into the US with an immigration court date.
With Trump back in office, Border Patrol agents are also back in full force on the frontlines of the border in large numbers.
It’s a complete 180 from the border under the Biden administration, when agents were stuck in holding centers processing migrants, some of whom were criminals, gangbangers, and terrorists, who they were most of the time letting go into the US.
Border Patrol sources have likened their jobs under the previous president to “babysitting,” while they were knowingly opening up the border to gotaways they couldn’t find the time catch up with.
Now, they’re jubilant since the border has been sealed off by the Trump administration, which has positioned thousands of additional troops and brought federal agents back to the frontlines and ended “catch and release.”
Agents now feel they can take a “breather” and get back to “secure our nation’s borders,” said Marrero-Rubio.
“It’s a relief for our agents, they don’t feel overwhelmed,” he added.
Two years ago, border agents in the area were catching roughly 2,500 illegal migrants a day. In the last few weeks, they’re capturing less than 100 per day.
With more manpower and time, the military and Border Patrol has now teamed up to capture the previously-cartel conquered Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, where human smugglers concealed themselves in the peaks and valleys of the rocky mountain.
If they were met by agents who were tipped off by artificial intelligence cameras dotting the mountain, the brazen smugglers would fight back by throwing large stones and taunting the agents by cursing at them.
Nearly a year ago and just 15 miles down the road from the mountainous crossing point, hundreds of migrants bum rushed the border and tackled troops on their way.
But now that area, which has been a common gathering point for large migrant crossings, is completely silent, with more razor wire and law enforcement officers sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to patrol the area.
“Right now, with everything working out towards our favor, now we have more agents on the line doing what they’re assigned to do and looking out for making those apprehensions instead of processing,” said Border Patrol agent Claudio Herrera.
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