(CNN) — Migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have remained largely unchanged since new asylum restrictions took effect earlier in the week, although senior U.S. government officials told reporters Friday they expect crossings to slow.
“We understand why we are not seeing an immediate drop, but as we continue to increase enforcement of deportations, we believe the impact will be greater in the coming days,” a senior government official said.
Daily encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border have risen to 4,000 in recent days, matching the number in recent weeks.
While senior Biden administration officials did not disclose how many would be subject to the new restrictions, they praised the move and pointed to 17 deportation flights this week as evidence that they can now deport immigrants more quickly.
“We will add more flights in the coming days as more people are ordered to be evacuated through rapid evacuation,” a senior official said.
