Illegal border crossings from Mexico plunge after a record-high December, with fewer from Venezuela

By REBECCA SANTANA and ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities say arrests for illegal crossings on the U.S. border with Mexico fell by half in January from record highs in December to the third lowest month of Joe Biden’s presidency. The sharp drop is welcome news for the White House, even if it proves temporary, as immigration becomes one of the biggest issues in this year’s presidential election, with exit polls showing it is the top concern among many Republican voters in early primaries. House Republicans are waging a campaign to impeach U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his oversight of the border.