NEAR GRANJENO – A newly released report showed a decline in apprehensions along the border since January of this year.

Border Patrol officials said consistency and reinforcements are helping them.

Months ago there was a consistent flow of people crossing the border. Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents were apprehending around 700 people crossing into the country illegally daily.

These days there is a significant decline.

“We have a decrease in apprehensions right now, that means fewer people are coming in,” Supervisory Border Patrol Agent for the RGV Sector, Marlene Castro, said.

She said the McAllen station is the number one nationwide for apprehensions.

“It’s been a continuation since late January, the numbers have been steadily decreasing,” Castro said.

In January 2017, they apprehended a total of 15,579. February saw half of that number with 7,854. And in March a total of 4,143 were apprehended.

Contributing factors to the decline, she said, it’s shown over time.

“It’s a combination of several things, you know. Our strategy is pretty sound, it’s solid. Of course we are working that along with the support for our immigration policy. You combine all those things and this is a result,” Castro said.

She said they are now seeing less family units and more single individuals making their way into the country.

“The established paths for people when they come in and they come through the brush, they’re now overgrown. There’s a lot of overgrown brush and weeds,” she said.

While Castro said the changes are making an impact, it’s still not stopping everyone.

During CHANNEL 5 NEWS’ time near the river, we met Ana Sulma Villega Cana. She traveled all the way from El Salvador with her daughter and nephew.

She said they brought nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“I don’t want to return to El Salvador,” she said.

She said she came into the country illegally to leave behind a dangerous home life. She hopes to travel to Los Angeles to be with her sister.

“Depending on that person’s situation, that kind of determines what path that process is gonna take,” Castro said.

She said no one knows if the decline will continue. For now, Border Patrol will continue with their plan to enforce border security.