U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today a significant drop in migrant apprehensions along the Canada-U.S. border, reaching the lowest level since 2022. According to statistics released Thursday, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended just 481 individuals in February 2025 attempting to cross illegally from Canada—down from 616 in January and a stark contrast to the multi-year peak of 3,601 in June 2024.
This decline follows adjustments to a bilateral agreement with Canada, enabling both nations to turn back asylum-seekers at the border more effectively. A CBP official previously noted to Reuters that these enforcement changes have curbed southbound crossings, though the agency did not immediately respond to further inquiries. Meanwhile, Canada’s efforts to tighten visa issuance reflect mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has justified sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods by citing migrant flows and fentanyl trafficking.
While southbound crossings plummet, northbound migration is creeping up. Canadian authorities apprehended 126 individuals crossing from the U.S. in February—the highest monthly total in a year—per Canada Border Services Agency data. Ottawa had braced for a surge of northbound migrants fleeing Trump’s threatened mass deportations, prompting a C$1.3-billion border security plan and the appointment of a fentanyl czar.
The northern drop contrasts with the U.S.-Mexico border, where illegal crossings in February were on track for a record monthly low. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $29.8 billion in U.S. goods, enacted after Trump’s 25 percent steel and aluminum levies, underscore a tense trade war fueling these shifts. Trump’s repeated threats to annex Canada add further strain to bilateral ties.
CBP remains vigilant, urging stakeholders to monitor evolving migration patterns. For more details on border enforcement stats, visit www.cbp.gov/stats. The public is encouraged to report suspicious activity to local authorities or CBP directly.