Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the number of migrants crossing the US southern border has dropped by 50% since the expiration of pandemic-related asylum restrictions, crediting harsher penalties for unlawful entry. Mayorkas also said the Biden administration is working with Mexico and Central American countries to address the root causes of migration and providing access to medical care, food, and shelter for migrants. The decrease in crossings is a welcome sign for the Biden administration, though it remains to be seen if it will be sustained.