President Donald Trump promised his supporters he will continue to crack down on illegal immigration and kick out violent gangs and drug traffickers during a Tuesday rally in Youngstown, Ohio.
Trump credited his policies and anti-illegal immigration rhetoric in keeping border crossings and apprehensions to a minimum.
“Since I took office we have cut illegal immigration on our Southern border by record numbers–78 percent,” Trump told the crowd before they started chanting “Build the Wall.”
“Just so you understand, we’ve already started fixing much of the good wall that’s already there,” Trump said. “But, we are breaking records.”
The president assured the crowd that Mexican officials told him that many people are no longer even trying to cross the border because they are afraid of the consequences under the Trump administration.
In June, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 53 percent drop in the number of apprehensions at the border, which correlates with fewer people attempting to cross illegally. (RELATED: ‘Miraculous’ Drop In Illegal Immigration Under Trump, Border Agent Says)
The MS-13 gang, which has links with Mexican drug cartels, has long been a focus of the Trump administration. In May, a law enforcement task force took out a group of MS-13 leaders in Los Angeles, California. (DOJ: Task Force Takes Out 21 Of The ‘Most Violent’ MS-13 Members In L.A.)