Fact check: How many people have crossed the US Mexico boarder per month in 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available data, border crossing encounters have dramatically decreased in 2025 compared to 2024. The most recent figures show:

• June 2025: 6,072 southwest border apprehensions ^[1] and 6,100 attempted crossings ^[2] - representing a 92.7% decrease from June 2024
• May 2025: 8,725 encounters of illegal aliens crossing the southwest border between ports of entry ^[3] - a 93% decrease from May 2024
• July 2025: Arrests fell to just under 8,000 ^[4]

Important distinction: The sources report encounters, apprehensions, and attempted crossings rather than unique individuals who successfully crossed. As noted, "one person may be counted multiple times if they make multiple attempts to cross" ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question asks for total crossings but critical context is missing:

• Methodology differences: The data represents different metrics - encounters vs. successful crossings vs. apprehensions - which are not equivalent measures ^{[2] [3] [1]}
• Historical perspective: Border crossings have fallen to "levels not seen since the 1960s" ^[4], providing important historical context about the significance of these low numbers
• Seasonal variations: Only partial year data is available (May-July 2025), missing potential seasonal patterns in border crossing attempts
• Policy impact: The dramatic 93% year-over-year decrease suggests significant policy or enforcement changes between 2024 and 2025, but the sources don't explain the underlying causes

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a fundamental methodological flaw by asking for "people who crossed" when available data measures encounters and apprehensions, not successful crossings. This distinction is crucial because:

• Double-counting issue: The same individual making multiple crossing attempts would be counted multiple times in encounter statistics ^[2]
• Incomplete picture: Apprehensions and encounters don't capture successful, undetected crossings
• Terminology precision: Using imprecise language about "crossings" versus "encounters" can lead to misinterpretation of border security effectiveness

The question appears neutral but could inadvertently amplify political narratives about border security by conflating different types of border statistics without acknowledging their limitations.