Federal officials say that under the Trump administration, the percent of illegal immigration has gone down severely.
President Trump is crediting Homeland Security Secretary General John F. Kelly with the "record reductions."
“Down 61 percent since inauguration. Gen. Kelly is doing a fantastic job.”
Former Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar says the percentage may even be higher than Trump thinks.
He says that compared to last year, detainment at the border is down almost 67 percent since March.
“This administration has said we’re going to address illegal immigration. ICE has started working in the interior, unlike other times. So that message resonates.”
These reports were announced just hours before the first set of proposals for the Border Wall are due.
Homeland Security is looking to build a 30-foot fence that is hard to break through, go over or dig under.
However, with these new numbers some are saying that a wall may not even be needed since early estimates for the wall come up to about $2.6 billion for only 75 miles worth of wall.
North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp says she hasn't found any border official that says the creation of a wall will be of any benefit.
“No one, not one person, no matter what political persuasion...I just wish we could get beyond that so we can actually talk about what we need to do on the border.”
Aguilar and former Border Patrol deputy chief Ronald Colburn say barriers can help keep the apprehension number low and keep people safer.
"Ask the Border Patrol agents in the field — they know...when I ask them about fence, every one of them responds yes, build new barriers where needed.”