Trump's border crackdown brings 'positive shift' to Arizona communities after years of upheaval

Residents of southern Arizona report that President Donald Trump’s border crackdown has significantly reduced illegal crossings and fostered a "positive shift" among local communities.

"The whole thing has shifted in a positive direction," said Dave, a resident of Tubac, Arizona, during an interview with Fox News Digital.

"I think a lot more could be done. I believe that Border Patrol, Customs, and all the other personnel could use a boost in hiring — I’ve always thought that. But yes, you can see a difference, and people are more relaxed," he continued.

MEXICAN BORDER TOWN SEES FEWER CROSSING ATTEMPTS, DEPORTATIONS THAN EXPECTED UNDER TRUMP

A family of five claiming to be from Guatemala and a man stating he was from Peru, in pink shirt, walk through the desert after crossing the border wall in the Tucson Sector of the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Dave mentioned that his son, currently working as a Border Patrol agent, has observed a sharp decline in the number of migrants that federal law enforcement has to apprehend, monitor, and release. He also noted a decrease in break-ins at small businesses and incidents of trespassing since Trump assumed office.

Other residents browsing the shops in Tubac on a warm spring afternoon shared similar sentiments. They told Fox News Digital that there is now a greater law enforcement presence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the White House, as of April 28 this year, illegal border crossings are down by 95% compared to numbers under the Biden administration.

A Tubac resident named Matt supported this assessment and praised the Trump administration for completing unfinished sections of the border wall.

TEXAS BORDER SHERIFF SAYS ILLEGAL CROSSINGS HAVE SEEN ‘DRAMATIC DECLINE’ AS CA MIGRANT CENTER SHUTS DOWN

U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector has seen a 91% decrease in illegal crossings. (SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

"They’re not babysitting anymore or processing people. We had a checkpoint up here that they closed for a time just to redeploy Border Patrol agents to process the illegals coming in. That’s stopped — so it's a huge difference," he added.

A nearby business owner named Mark offered a more measured response. He noted that Tubac has historically been relatively insulated from border activity, but he acknowledged seeing a slight slowdown since March.

However, not everyone supported Trump’s immigration policies. Vinyas, a student at the University of Arizona in Tucson, told Fox News Digital that his close circle of friends is "pretty upset" by the new administration’s actions.

SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS

Arizona residents spoke with Fox News Digital about President Trump's border policies and how his immigration crackdown has impacted their communities.   (Fox News Digital)

"There’s a lot of concern about immigration. Even my friends who’ve been here a while but aren’t citizens are a little worried. Some of my friends who go to other schools that are being cracked down on by the administration are also concerned," Vinyas said.

Another Tucson resident, Aditya, noted that although the area is home to many migrants, he feels safe and hasn’t noticed any significant changes in overall crime.

"They’re trying to clean up the system as they understand it — as they perceive it — and I think that’s fair. But when you do something on a large scale, it’s never perfect," he said of the Trump administration.

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