The number of migrants in border towns and some big U.S. cities has plunged, shelter operators say

Shelter operators attribute the steep drop to President Joe Biden’s June executive action limiting asylum claims and stronger efforts by Mexico to intercept U.S.-bound migrants.

Shelters on the southern U.S. border and in some major cities that were inundated with migrants a year ago say they are seeing sharp declines in migrants seeking refuge, some reporting drops as high as 60% in just the past few months.

In July, the White House said that the number of migrants apprehended at the southwest border had dropped 50% in the month since President Joe Biden’s executive action in June limiting asylum claims went into effect. Now the effect of Biden’s order is being felt by the emergency shelter infrastructure that has developed over the past few years to manage what was a record surge of migrants.