United States
Immigration
Border Patrol announced that 8,450 migrants were apprehended at the border, the lowest level since 2000. This is obviously a substantial drop even from January, when 29,000 were encountered, and a fraction from December 2023, when 250,000 showed up at the border. (CBS News)
DHS also announced that in the first month of the Trump Administration, 20,000 illegal aliens were arrested. That’s a 627 percent increase in monthly arrests compared to just 33,000 significant arrests under Biden last year.
Economy
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for February reported that consumer confidence fell to 98.3, falling for the third straight month and marking the largest monthly decline since August 2021. This was due to rising expectations for inflation in the year ahead, which coincided with Trump’s increased talks about tariffs with Canada and Mexico. (CNN)
Trump Administration
The Department of Homeland Security is creating a registry for illegal aliens above 14, where their names, fingerprints, and addresses are recorded. Those who don’t self-report could face fines and imprisonment. This is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which hasn’t been enforced since it was created in 1952. (NBC News)
A Trump Administration memo circulated at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would allow ICE officers to identify illegal immigrants who would qualify for expedited removal, a procedure usually used within 100 miles of the border but expanded to the entire country under Trump. The one million migrants admitted into the U.S. under Biden’s parole program would be flagged for expedited removal. (The Washington Post)
President Trump is considering a proposal from Erik Prince on how to deport millions of illegal aliens logistically. However, the plan did not include the use of his private army. (Politico)
Secretary Marco Rubio has announced that 92 percent of all USAID programs overseas will be eliminated, which will save the government about $60 billion. The agency has all but been terminated. (NPR)