Grok says:
The claim that there was an expert consensus that Trump could not stop illegal immigration oversimplifies a complex issue. Many experts have historically argued that illegal immigration is driven by deep economic, social, and political factors—such as labor demand, violence in home countries, and global migration patterns—that are difficult to halt entirely through policy alone. However, they didn’t universally claim it was impossible to reduce it significantly.
Data from 2025 shows a sharp decline in illegal border crossings since Trump took office. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 94% drop in encounters at the southern border in February 2025 compared to the previous year, and March 2025 was down 95% from March 2024. ICE arrests surged, with 32,809 enforcement arrests in the first 50 days of Trump’s administration, surpassing the entire 2024 fiscal year’s at-large arrests under Biden. Deportations, however, have lagged behind, with 37,660 in Trump’s first month compared to a monthly average of 57,000 under Biden’s last year.
Trump’s policies—executive orders banning asylum at the border, reinstating “Remain in Mexico,” ending catch-and-release, and deploying troops—have contributed to this drop. External factors, like Mexico’s deployment of 10,000 troops to its border and seasonal migration patterns, also play a role. Experts note that Biden’s June 2024 asylum restrictions had already reduced encounters before Trump’s term, and immigration often ebbs and flows due to weather, policy signals, or global conditions.
While Trump’s measures have demonstrably reduced crossings, some experts caution that sustaining this trend is uncertain. Logistical challenges, like limited detention space and legal pushback, could constrain mass deportations. Courts have already blocked some actions, such as deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. Claims of “stopping” illegal immigration entirely may also be exaggerated, as undetected crossings persist, and the estimated 11-14 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. pose a significant enforcement challenge.
