The United States is tweaking its immigration policy to make things easier for the Mexican government to handle incoming migrants.
The Biden administration will now allow migrants to apply for entry into the U.S. from the southern states of Chiapas and Tabasco, extending the zone from northern and central Mexico.
In a statement, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said migrants will be able to schedule appointments to cross at eight ports of entry along the southwest border using the CBP One app and without having to travel all the way north to do so in person.
The move is expected to help Mexico manage the influx of migrants seeking one of the 1,450 daily border-crossing appointments, which are distributed via a lottery system.
CBP said the change would happen soon but did not provide a timeline.
"We consistently engage with our partners in the Government of Mexico and work together to adjust policies and practices in response to the latest migration trends and security needs," the agency said. "We will provide additional information regarding this anticipated update before it takes effect."
In June, the U.S. severely restricted asylum claims at the border. Under the policy, entry for asylum seekers is suspended once the seven-day average of unauthorized crossings reaches 2,500. The restriction eases when the average drops to 1,500. Individuals who cross the border unlawfully or without authorization will be ineligible for asylum.
The rule had an immediate effect. CBP said illegal border crossings in June were the lowest they've been since January 2021 and lower than pre-pandemic numbers in June 2019. The agency has not yet released its report for July.
In June, the first month in which the restriction was in place, the U.S. Border Patrol recorded 83,536 unauthorized crossings -- 29% lower than in May 2024. At the same time, CBP said it processed over 41,800 individuals through appointments at ports of entry utilizing the CBP One app.
"Since the appointment scheduling function in CBP One was introduced in January 2023 through the end of June 2024, more than 680,500 individuals have successfully scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry instead of risking their lives in the hands of smugglers," the agency said. It did not mention how many of those individuals were allowed into the country.