The number of Venezuelans illegally crossing the US-Mexico border has significantly decreased since deportation flights to crisis-stricken Venezuela resumed last month, according to data from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The statistics show a 46% drop in arrivals, with border agents apprehending 29,637 Venezuelans at the border in October, compared to September's record high of 54,833. The Biden administration announced in early October that it would deport Venezuelans who were ineligible for asylum or temporary legal status. Since then, hundreds of Venezuelans have been sent back to their home country. The resumption of removal flights, which aims to deliver consequences to those crossing the border unlawfully, has been attributed to the significant decline in Venezuelan illegal migrant detentions.

The decrease in Venezuelan arrivals along the southern border has been more pronounced since deportation flights to Venezuela began, with CBP reporting a 65% decrease in encounters of Venezuelans in the second half of October compared to the second half of September. Overall illegal entries along the border also decreased by 14% in October, dropping from nearly 219,000 in September to below 189,000. It is worth noting that these figures do not include legal entries under the two programs created by the Biden administration to discourage unlawful crossings.

The drop in Venezuelan arrivals could be seen as a breakthrough moment for the Biden administration's efforts to manage the unprecedented levels of Venezuelan migration to the US. Since President Biden took office, border officials have processed over half a million Venezuelans who arrived in northern Mexico as part of the larger surge in migration. However, the unique challenges posed by Venezuelan migrants have strained cities such as New York, Chicago, and Denver, which have struggled to house and provide services for the destitute arrivals. Venezuela's refusal to accept US deportations in previous years led to a limited number of Venezuelans being sent back to Mexico, leaving most of them released into the US pending case reviews.

The economic crisis in Venezuela, characterized by extreme poverty, insecurity, and an authoritarian government, has resulted in over seven million people leaving the country in recent years, making it the largest refugee-like population in the world. The resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela had an immediate impact on migrants' decision to travel north, with many choosing to wait and see how the situation unfolded. However, experts warn that the downward trend in arrivals may not be sustainable, as the conditions in Venezuela remain unchanged.