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Which border sectors and entry methods accounted for the largest increases or decreases through 2024?
Executive summary
CBP and analysts report that the biggest shifts through 2024 were a steep drop in Border Patrol encounters between ports of entry (especially after June 5, 2024) and a rise in arrivals processed at ports of entry using the CBP One app; CBP says southwest between‑POE encounters fell roughly 50% from May to October 2024 and fiscal‑year Border Patrol apprehensions fell about 25% year‑over‑year to ~1.53 million [1] [2]. Northern‑border sectors such as Swanton saw the largest proportional decreases in between‑POE encounters (up to ~89% June–December per CBP), while passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and air travelers processed at ports of entry showed modest increases in 2024 compared with 2023 [3] [4] [5].
1. The big picture: between‑POE encounters plunged after the June proclamation
CBP and subsequent analyses identify the June 5, 2024 Presidential Proclamation and the “Securing the Border” rule as an inflection point: Border Patrol encounters between ports of entry fell sharply in mid‑2024, with CBP reporting 83,536 such encounters in June — 29% lower than May — and analysts noting monthly apprehensions roughly halved from May to October [6] [1]. Migration Policy Institute and Congress/CRS reporting attribute much of the FY2024 drop (to ~2.1 million total southwest border encounters) to a mix of enforcement, new restrictions on asylum eligibility, and expanded lawful pathways [7] [1].
2. Which sectors saw the biggest percentage declines? Swanton and northern sectors stand out
CBP’s monthly releases highlight the northern border’s Swanton Sector as an example of dramatic percentage declines in encounters between ports of entry: Swanton encounters reportedly dropped 69% (June–October), 85% (June–November), and 89% (June–December) across successive CBP monthly statements, indicating one of the largest proportional decreases reported by sector [8] [9] [3]. CBP frames these northern reductions as the result of “expanded enforcement efforts in response to changing migration trends” [3].
3. Method shifts: more people using CBP One and arriving at official POEs
CBP reports a substantial shift in how migrants present themselves: in December 2024, nearly 44,000 people were processed at ports of entry with pre‑submitted CBP One appointments, and since January 2023 over 936,500 appointments had been scheduled through the app — a sign the administration’s policy aimed to steer migrants to POEs has had measurable uptake [3]. Migration Policy and other analysts note that by late 2024, for the first time in months more migrants arrived at ports of entry than between them, underscoring a change in entry method [10].
4. Entry processing volumes: vehicles, trucks, air travel — modest increases
Across several monthly CBP updates in 2024, CBP reported increases in routine traveler and commercial volumes year‑over‑year: air travelers rose (e.g., +13.9% March; +14% January), passenger vehicles up a few percent, and commercial trucks up (e.g., +15% April); these are increases at ports of entry, not irregular crossings, and reflect general travel and trade recovery as well as border processing dynamics [4] [11] [5].
5. Geographic concentration: Tucson and Southwest sectors still had large totals, even as totals fell
Even with overall declines, Border Patrol still recorded high absolute apprehension counts in certain sectors: analysts note the Tucson Sector as the single sector with the most Border Patrol apprehensions in FY2024 (roughly 463,567 in one cited summary), showing that absolute volumes remained concentrated in particular areas despite national declines [2].
6. Alternative interpretations and caveats from reporting
Analysts and CBP agree on declining encounter numbers, but differ on attribution: CBP emphasizes enforcement, the Proclamation/IFR, and CBP One as causes [6] [3], while independent analysts point to a mix of enforcement, regional cooperation (e.g., Mexico’s actions), and newly available lawful pathways as contributing factors [7] [10]. Congress/CRS notes not only falling apprehensions but also changes in processing dispositions (ER replacing NTA/OR in many cases), which affects how encounters translate into removal or court cases [1].
7. What the present sources do not detail or resolve
Available sources do not mention granular, nationwide month‑by‑month sector rankings for every sector through December 2024 beyond the highlighted examples (e.g., full tables comparing every sector’s increases/decreases across all months are not provided in these press releases and analyses) (not found in current reporting). They also do not settle how durable the declines will be absent ongoing enforcement or regional cooperation; Migration Policy cautions about sustainability [10].
Summary takeaway: the largest reported proportional decreases in between‑POE encounters through 2024 were in certain northern sectors (Swanton flagged repeatedly by CBP), and the most notable method‑of‑entry shift was the rise of POE arrivals using CBP One as between‑POE Border Patrol encounters fell sharply after June 2024 — but experts caution multiple causes and note changes in processing practices that affect interpretation [3] [6] [1] [10].