Trump DOJ sets new record for illegal immigrant prosecutions

08/02/2025 / By Ava Grace

The DOJ charged over 3,000 illegal immigrants with felony reentry and 3,200 with misdemeanor illegal entry in June 2025the highest monthly total ever—marking a stark shift from Biden’s lenient policies.
Trump’s DOJ enforces felony illegal reentry (punishable by up to 20 years for repeat offenders), moving beyond civil deportations to criminal prosecutions with near-perfect conviction rates.
Under Biden, fewer than one percent of Border Patrol arrests led to charges; Trump’s zero-tolerance approach has surged prosecutions (e.g., 277 felony reentry cases in New Mexico in June 2025 vs. <100/month in 2024).
Criminal penalties (jail time) aim to disrupt economic incentives for illegal immigration, correlating with plummeting border crossings and doubled ICE arrests under Trump.
Progressives oppose the crackdown as punitive, while conservatives defend it as necessary for rule of law. The policy signals a broader ideological battle over border security and enforcement.

The Trump administration is wielding the full force of federal law to crack down on illegal immigration, with the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecuting a record number of unlawful border crossers in June.

More than 3,000 illegal immigrants were charged with felony illegal reentry – the highest monthly total ever recorded – while an additional 3,200 faced misdemeanor illegal entry charges. This aggressive enforcement marks a sharp departure from the former President Joe Biden’s era, where prosecutions were rare. It also underscores President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on securing the border.

For decades, illegal immigration was treated primarily as a civil violation – with most offenders simply deported rather than criminally charged. But under Trump, the DOJ is leveraging existing laws to impose harsher penalties – including jail time – on those who repeatedly violate U.S. sovereignty.

Felony illegal reentry, a charge applied to migrants who return after deportation, carries up to two years in prison for first-time offenders. Those with prior criminal records, meanwhile, could face up to 20 years if found guilty. (Related: Trump administration bars illegal immigrants from taxpayer-funded healthcare and Head Start.)

The surge in prosecutions reflects a coordinated effort between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection and federal prosecutors to target recidivists. Former ICE Acting Director Jonathan Fahey, who served during Trump’s first term, notes that these cases have a near-perfect conviction rate because prosecutors only need to prove the defendant was previously deported and reentered illegally.

Biden’s lax policies vs. Trump’s zero-tolerance approach

The contrast between the two administrations could not be starker. Under Biden, illegal entry prosecutions plummeted, with fewer than one percent of Border Patrol arrests leading to charges at the height of the 2023 crisis.

In New Mexico, for example, felony reentry cases rarely exceeded 100 per month in late 2024. By June 2025, that number had surged to 277 – a clear indicator of Trump’s renewed enforcement priorities.

Biden and his Democratic allies had pushed to decriminalize border crossings entirely, arguing that illegal immigrants deserved compassion rather than prosecution. During the 2020 primaries, nearly every major Democratic candidate – including Biden – endorsed this position. But Trump’s policies have reversed that trend, treating illegal entry not just as a bureaucratic issue but as a criminal offense.

Experts argue that criminal penalties serve as a stronger deterrent than civil deportations. Jail time disrupts the economic incentives driving illegal immigration, preventing migrants from immediately rejoining the workforce after being caught.

Data suggests the strategy is working. Border crossings have plummeted since Trump took office, while ICE arrests have doubled.

The administration’s crackdown has drawn fierce opposition from immigration activists and Democrats, who view prosecutions as excessively punitive. But Trump officials counter that the law must be enforced without exception. The DOJ insists it is using every available tool to combat what it calls an “invasion” of illegal immigrants.

The Trump administration’s record-breaking prosecutions represent more than just a policy change – they signify a fundamental rethinking of how America handles illegal immigration. By treating border crossers as criminals rather than mere violators of civil law, the DOJ is sending a clear message: Repeat offenders will face serious consequences.

Watch this Newsmax report about the largest illegal immigrant bust in U.S. history, which happened in California.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.