Rep. Jasmine Crockett bizarrely suggests Trump admin cooking the books on record-low border crossing numbers
Rep. Jasmine Crockett claimed in an interview this week that the Trump administration may be lying about the record-low number of border crossings happening on its watch. AP
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) said this week that she questions whether the Trump administration is being truthful about reports showing historically low levels of illegal border crossings.
In an interview Tuesday on NBC News’ Meet the Press NOW, Crockett acknowledged that official data show a decline in encounters at the southern border but suggested the numbers may not be reliable.
“I will acknowledge that what is being reported is that border encounters are lower,” Crockett told host Gabe Gutierrez. “I will also say that we know this administration has not been the most honest when it comes to reporting numbers.”
Federal data show that illegal border crossings fell to an all-time low in June, with Border Patrol agents stopping 6,070 migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. Border czar Tom Homan said none of those migrants were released into the country. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously announced that the department recorded seven consecutive months with no releases into the U.S. interior as of the end of November.
Since President Trump returned to the White House in January, 117,105 migrants have been apprehended at the southern border, with all turned away, according to administration officials. By comparison, Customs and Border Protection data show the Biden administration averaged 185,625 apprehensions per month.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson dismissed Crockett’s remarks, calling them unfounded. “It’s a fact that the border is the most secure in history, and dangerous criminal illegal aliens are being deported thanks to President Trump’s policies,” she told Fox News Digital.
Noem echoed that assessment earlier this month, saying, “Month after month, we are delivering results that were once thought impossible: the most secure border in history and unmatched enforcement successes.”
Gutierrez pressed Crockett on the political implications of immigration in Texas as she launches a Senate campaign, noting that many voters credit President Trump with strengthening border enforcement.
“Border encounter numbers are down, and the president is touting that as a success,” Gutierrez said. “Has the president been successful on bringing border encounters down?”
Crockett declined to concede that point, criticizing the administration’s approach. “He has invoked a very inhumane way of carrying out immigration,” she said, while also arguing that Congress has been sidelined in the process.
She further claimed that deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody have reached historic levels. At least 30 migrants have died in ICE custody so far in 2025, according to a recent Washington Post report, compared with 12 deaths during fiscal year 2024, the final full year of President Joe Biden’s administration.
Crockett also raised concerns about U.S. citizens being mistakenly detained, accusing the Supreme Court of granting the administration broad authority to enforce immigration laws based on appearance or accent.
Despite early public support for stricter border enforcement and deportations of migrants with criminal records, President Trump’s approval on immigration has slipped in recent months. As of December, 50.1% of voters disapproved of his handling of the issue, while 46.8% approved, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.
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