For years, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has positioned himself as a staunch defender of the U.S.-Mexico border, criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of immigration with relentless fervor. He’s repeatedly claimed that the border is wide open and that the federal government has done little to secure it. But now, as migrant crossings have plunged to record lows, Abbott’s rhetoric has grown conspicuously quiet.
In July, migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border dropped to their lowest level since President Biden took office, a sharp contrast to the record-breaking numbers seen in previous years. This decline marks the fifth consecutive month of decreased crossings, a significant victory for the Biden administration, which has faced relentless criticism from Republicans over its border policies.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attributes this drop to a series of strategic measures implemented by the administration. “The numbers have indeed decreased and have decreased significantly,” Mayorkas stated. He cited new legal pathways for migrants, stricter consequences for illegal crossings, and enhanced cooperation with neighboring countries like Mexico and Guatemala as key factors in the decline.
Despite these efforts, Abbott has continued to push his narrative of a chaotic and insecure border. Just last month, at the Republican National Convention, he vowed to keep sending “migrant buses” to sanctuary cities until the Biden administration secured the border. His words drew applause, but the reality on the ground paints a different picture. The buses, once a symbol of Abbott’s defiance, have all but disappeared—not because Abbott has backed down, but because there simply aren’t enough migrants to fill them.
Kari Lenander, who runs migrant shelters in West Texas, described the sudden change as “eerie.” For years, her shelters were filled to capacity, but now, most of the beds are empty. “The buses have stopped,” she noted, emphasizing that it wasn’t Abbott’s decision, but the natural consequence of fewer migrants crossing the border.
While Abbott’s office continues to credit the state’s border security operations for the decline, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data tells a different story. The drop in crossings has been consistent across all demographics and along every sector of the Southwest border, not just in Texas. In July alone, CBP recorded 56,408 migrant encounters, a staggering 57% decrease from the same month last year.
This sharp decline, occurring at a time when seasonal migration typically peaks, underscores the effectiveness of the Biden administration’s border policies. The administration has implemented a comprehensive approach, including restricting access to asylum and ramping up deportations, which has significantly curtailed illegal crossings.
As the Biden administration’s success becomes more apparent, Abbott’s previous claims about an out-of-control border crisis ring increasingly hollow. His silence on the matter is loud, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to address the Democratic National Convention—a stark contrast to Abbott’s earlier efforts to exploit the border situation for political gain.
While Abbott may have thrived on the narrative of an open border, the latest data makes it clear: the border is more secure now than it has been in years. The governor’s reluctance to acknowledge this reality raises questions about the motivations behind his earlier attacks and the credibility of his ongoing immigration rhetoric.
