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Illegal border crossing into U.S. down 50%

A woman wearing a face mask and others walk on a bridge by a road that has been closed to cars, Sunday, March 22, 2020, as they visit the blooming cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin in Washington. Sections of the National Mall and tidal basin have been closed to vehicular traffic to encourage people to practice social distancing and not visit Washington's iconic cherry blossoms this year due to coronavirus concerns. The trees are in full bloom this week and would traditionally draw large crowds. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
A woman wearing a face mask and others walk on a bridge by a road that has been closed to cars, Sunday, March 22, 2020, as they visit the blooming cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin in Washington. Sections of the National Mall and tidal basin have been closed to vehicular traffic to encourage people to practice social distancing and not visit Washington's iconic cherry blossoms this year due to coronavirus concerns. The trees are in full bloom this week and would traditionally draw large crowds. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A woman wearing a face mask and others walk on a bridge by a road that has been closed to cars, Sunday, March 22, 2020, as they visit the blooming cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin in Washington. Sections of the National Mall and tidal basin have been closed to vehicular traffic to encourage people to practice social distancing and not visit Washington's iconic cherry blossoms this year due to coronavirus concerns. The trees are in full bloom this week and would traditionally draw large crowds. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

By Associated Press 1 min read

WASHINGTON – Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf says illegal border crossings have dropped by 50% after restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Trump administration is turning back anyone crossing illegally, among other restrictions.

Wolf says because migrants often come without identification paperwork it’s unclear how to trace their medical history and to determine if they are arriving from an area hard-hit by the virus.

But the Trump administration has also made restriction immigration a top priority, regardless of the pandemic and had already been sending thousands of asylum seekers back to Mexico to wait out their cases. The nation’s immigration courts are still operating with limited closures and some hearings delayed.

Wolf said on Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures” that the borders between the U.S. and Mexico and U.S. and Canada are not shut down, but are only allowing for necessary trade and travel.