“The recession and the housing bust were certainly important events driving down these numbers, but it’s also possible that several other things were important as well … We know that border enforcement was stepped up during this period too, and smuggling fees increased. And we also know there has been a rise in deportations.” Illegal immigration dropped pretty dramatically during the Obama years. “In 2016, as President Barack Obama left office, the number of undocumented immigrants living in the United States was at its lowest level in a decade.” All that happened before the talk of a wall and before a US president sent real life American soldiers to defend the nation against an imaginary threat.

+ Here’s the full report from Pew: US Unauthorized Immigrant Total Dips to Lowest Level in a Decade.