Noem says “night and day difference” at U.S.-Mexico border from year ago

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants Monday amid a significant drop in illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

“If you talk to all of these agents that have been down here for years, they say it’s night and day difference from where we were a year ago, that they were overwhelmed with illegals and people that were turning themselves in because they knew that they would be released into the United States undocumented with no consequences,” Noem told CBS News in an interview at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Customs and Border Protection said illegal border crossings in March fell to the lowest level ever recorded, with just under 7,200 apprehensions. According to the agency, it was a 95% decrease from a year earlier. 

It also marked a decrease from February, in which the number of illegal migrant crossings hit a 25-year low. About 8,300 migrants were apprehended in February. 

Watch more of Tony Dokoupil’s interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday on “CBS Mornings.” 

Tony Dokoupil

Tony Dokoupil is a co-host of “CBS Mornings” and CBS Mornings Plus.” Dokoupil also anchors “The Uplift,” a weekly series spotlighting positive and inspiring stories for CBS News 24/7.