NEW: Karoline Leavitt Brings Receipts To Press Briefing, Reveals Historic Progress At The Border

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a major update Tuesday, laying out clear evidence that President Donald Trump’s border policies are achieving historic results.

Leavitt shared new data showing illegal border crossings have dropped by 94% over the past year, while interior arrests of illegal migrants have increased by 134%. She credited the administration’s strong enforcement measures, including the reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, aggressive deportations, and ongoing construction of the border wall.

“This administration’s efforts to seal the border continue to prove extraordinarily successful,” Leavitt said. “In President Trump’s first month back in office alone, illegal border crossings hit lows not seen in decades, down 94 percent over the past year, while interior arrests are up 134 percent.”

The administration has taken a hardline approach by deploying military personnel, increasing cooperation with Mexico, and targeting sanctuary cities. While some critics attempt to downplay the administration’s success, Leavitt stood by the numbers, calling them a reflection of the policies that put American security first.

“This past Saturday, this is a significant statistic that I wanted to share with all of you: there were only 220 illegal border crossings on Saturday. This is a 15-year low. Think about that in comparison to the amount of illegal border crossings we saw under the previous administration,” she said.

The Biden years saw record-high crossings, overwhelming law enforcement and raising national security concerns. Now, with Leavitt presenting fresh data, the administration is making it clear: the border is being secured, and the crisis is being reversed.

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In his first extensive interview since taking office, Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks told CBS News that illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border have plummeted by 94% compared to last year. Over the last week, the average daily apprehensions of migrants along the border stood at 285, a sharp decrease from the 4,800 recorded in the same period a year ago.

Chief Banks attributed the drop to a series of stringent measures enacted under President Trump’s administration. These include executive actions that have largely dismantled the U.S. asylum process and implemented expedited deportations, reversing several policies from the previous Biden administration that allowed certain migrants to enter the country legally.

The Trump administration has deployed additional military personnel and authorized Texas National Guard soldiers to serve as immigration officers, thereby enhancing the operational capacity of border patrols. According to Banks, these comprehensive steps have not only drastically reduced migrant releases into the U.S. interior but also sent a clear message to potential migrants: entering the U.S. without authorization will almost certainly result in deportation.

During an interview at the Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington, Banks pointed to the effectiveness of the administration’s stringent border policies. “The greater the punishment, the larger the deterrent,” Banks said.

“I can tell you this: anyone that has crossed the border between the ports of entry since this administration has taken office has not been released,” he noted. “You do not cross the border illegally and then make an asylum claim,” Banks continued. “You can go to the port of entry, or you can go to one of the embassies in your country and make your claim for asylum.”