US Border Patrol Arrests Drop Sharply in June

 

The Associated Press, or AP, reports that arrests at the border between Mexico and the United States fell sharply in the month of June.

The AP report says its information came from a U.S. official.

The lower number follows four months of increases. The number could be a product of President Donald Trump¹’s policy of bringing criminal charges against every adult who enters the country illegally. Or it could be the result of changing seasons.

U.S. border agents made more than 34,000 arrests along the Mexican border during June, down 16 percent compared to the number in May. The June numbers were being described as preliminary and may change.

The AP report said the sharp drop could undermine the Trump administration’s storyline of a crisis at the border.

Customs and Border Protection, which includes the Border Patrol, refused to comment on the numbers. The agency said it does not discuss them as a matter of policy until they are officially released to the public.

The administration announced in May that it was taking legal action against every illegal entry, including adults who came with their children.

More than 2,000 boys and girls have been separated from their parents since they crossed the border without documentation. On June 20, the president amended² the policy, ordering that detained families should stay together.

Kevin McAleenan is head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He told reporters last week that the number of border arrests were “trending” lower. McAleenan said he would not provide the numbers until their public release in early July. He also said that the increased border activities “had an impact” on the arrests.

Immigration Protest

The AP story was published two days after thousands of people demonstrated in cities, big and small, across the country. They were protesting the administration’s policy of prosecuting³ every migrant who crosses the border illegally.

In New York City, thousands of protesters marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to show their opposition⁴ to the policy. There were similar protests in Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

In Washington, tens of thousands of people marched to the White House. They passed the Trump International Hotel and then moved to the Justice Department, where protestors put up signs at building entrances.

“We are better than this,” one sign read.

“We have three demands,” said Anna Galland, executive director of the activist⁵ group Moveon.org. “Reunite families, end family internment⁶ camps and end…the policy that created this humanitarian⁷ crisis.”

Last week, the Trump administration ordered the Department of Defense⁸ to provide space at military bases to hold thousands of detained migrants in “tent” cities.

The administration identified two places in Texas -- Fort Bliss⁹ army base, near El Paso, and Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo -- to house the migrants.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters that “providing housing…for those who need it is a legitimate¹⁰ governmental function.” Mattis added that he knew the decision was “political.”

The U.S. military is preparing space for the migrants, but they will be cared for by humanitarian organizations, not soldiers.

Six Texas lawmakers sent a letter to the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services calling the “tent” cities “dehumanizing.”

“A tent city is not a place for children to be,” said Congressman¹¹ Cesar Blanco, a member of the Democratic Party. All five other lawmakers are Democrats¹².

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

prosecute¹³ – v. to hold a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty

preliminary – n. something that comes first in order to prepare for or introduce the main part of something else

undermine - v. to weaken or wash away something

trend – n. something that is currently popular or fashionable

internment – n. the act of putting someone in a prison for political reasons or during a war

function – n. the special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used

tent – n. a temporary shelter

executive – adj. of or related to the execution of something

matter – n. a subject or issue under consideration; something written or published

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

3 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 internment   

n.拘留

参考例句：

• Certainly the recent attacks against the internment camps are evidence enough. 很明显，最近营地遭受到的攻击就是一个足好的证明。 来自互联网
• The chapters on the internment are Both readaBle and well researched. 这些关于拘留的章节不仅具可读性而且研究得很透彻。 来自互联网

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 bliss   

n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福

参考例句：

• It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
• He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

10 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

11 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

12 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？