Crockett accuses Trump administration of dishonesty over border encounter numbers

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who is running for Senate, said she is doubtful the border data coming from President Donald Trump’s administration is accurate and accused it of not being "the most honest" at reporting numbers.

During an interview Tuesday on "Meet the Press NOW," NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez asked Crockett about immigration.

"One of the key issues in Texas is, of course, immigration," he said. "You, of course, have been an outspoken critic of the president’s mass deportation policies and of ICE."

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"But a lot of voters — a lot of Americans who voted for President Trump — think that he has done a strong job at the border. In fact, border encounter numbers are down, and the president is touting that as a success. You obviously have issues with the way he’s going about it, but has the president been successful — can you acknowledge that — on bringing border encounters down?" Gutierrez asked.

Crockett responded that she is not convinced the border numbers are accurate.

"I will acknowledge that what is being reported is that border encounters are lower," Crockett said. "I will also say that we know that this administration has not been the most honest when it comes to reporting numbers, as we know that there’s now reporting that they have not been honest about the jobs numbers."

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Crockett described Trump’s immigration enforcement as "inhumane."

"What I can tell you is that he has invoked a very inhumane way of carrying out immigration," Crockett said. "What I also can tell you is that he has not worked through the Congress, and that's what we need is comprehensive immigration reform. What I also can tell you is that we have a historic number of people that have died in ICE custody since he’s been in. 

"What I also can tell you is that we have a historic number of American citizens that have been rounded up, and what I can also tell you is that this Supreme Court, unfortunately, has basically given him carte blanche to go after people because of an accent or because of what they look like, and that is wrong."

In October, the Trump administration announced it closed out fiscal year 2025 with the lowest U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions since 1970, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reporting 237,565 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal year 2025 compared to 201,780 in fiscal year 1970. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, "This is a bizarre conspiracy theory from a woman who couldn’t even properly read the FEC website before telling lies on the House floor. It’s a fact that the border is the most secure in history, and dangerous criminal illegal aliens are being deported thanks to President Trump’s policies."