Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, did not recognize any positive effects from President Donald Trump’s immigration policy during an appearance on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, despite a notable decline in border crossings. In May 2025, US Border Patrol reported about 8,725 illegal crossings, which is a staggering 93% drop from 117,905 encounters in May 2024. When asked about this significant decrease by host Kristen Welker, Murphy stated, “I don’t give them credibility because they violate the law every day and the border crossings are low.” He emphasized that there are laws in place that allow individuals who are fleeing persecution to apply for asylum in the United States.
Murphy attributed some challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts to halt the asylum process altogether, suggesting it impedes lawful evacuation, as outlined by US law. He also mentioned bipartisan initiatives from 2024 that aimed to reform the asylum system, ensuring that only eligible individuals would be considered for application while improving the review process at the border.
Murphy critiqued the Trump administration, alleging that it obstructed lawful asylum requests, stating, “Last year they wrote that bipartisan bill to reform the asylum process, making sure only the right people come in and quickly determine those cases at the border.” A bipartisan group of lawmakers had introduced this legislation in 2024 to streamline procedures and offer protections to those fleeing persecution.
Despite the decline in daily crossings, Murphy reiterated that this was a result of the Trump administration’s disregard for the law. He expressed concern over what he described as a “lawless regime,” warning that such actions could threaten democracy itself, using border control as just one example of this issue.
Following his return to the White House, Trump quickly enacted various measures to tighten border security, which included declaring a national emergency and pushing for wall construction while influencing the Mexican government to assist in enforcement efforts.
This decrease in illegal immigration stands in stark contrast to the current administration, which is facing what many describe as the worst border crisis in US history. Critics point to actions taken by the Biden administration to roll back several security measures that were in place during Trump’s time in office.
