Ranchers along America’s southern border are finally breathing a sigh of relief — and they say President Donald Trump is the reason why.
After years of chaos, cartel activity, and dangerous illegal crossings, Arizona ranchers report a dramatic decline in border crime since Trump returned to office and reinstated tougher border enforcement.
According to recent reporting, illegal crossings in key areas of southern Arizona have dropped sharply, restoring safety to land that had effectively become a highway for smugglers and drug traffickers.
A Border Nightmare Finally Ends
Sue and Jim Chilton, fifth-generation cattle ranchers, manage nearly 50,000 acres of land along the Arizona-Mexico border. For years, their ranch sat directly in the path of cartel-controlled smuggling routes.
Just last year, Sue Chilton — then in her early 80s — found herself home alone when four men with gang-style tattoos appeared at her door. Fearing for her safety, she refused to let them inside but prepared food for them to eat outdoors.
Jim Chilton later remarked that his wife had unknowingly “served lunch to MS-13.”
Their property lies within the Tucson sector, an area notorious for rugged terrain and unfinished sections of border wall that smugglers routinely exploited.
The Crisis Under Biden-Era Policies
At the height of the border crisis in early 2024, the Tucson sector became the busiest illegal crossing point in the United States, with more than 250,000 apprehensions in just four months.
The Chiltons say there were days when hundreds of migrants crossed their land daily.
Many wore camouflage, used carpet-lined shoes to evade detection, and carried backpacks filled with illegal drugs — including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The constant traffic destroyed fencing, endangered livestock, and placed ranch families directly in harm’s way.
What Changed Under President Trump
Everything changed once President Trump returned to office.
The Chiltons report illegal activity on their ranch has dropped by nearly 90 percent. Recently, only 155 migrants were apprehended on their property, and all were swiftly returned to Mexico.
“President Trump deserves the credit,” Jim Chilton said. “We’re not constantly fearing encounters with armed groups anymore. We can move across our land safely again.”
Real Violence, Real Costs
The danger was not hypothetical.
Ranch workers once discovered a decapitated body on the property. In another incident, Border Patrol agents arrested smugglers carrying an assault rifle and more than 100 pounds of cocaine.
Jim Chilton estimates the border crisis cost his ranch close to $100,000 per year due to property damage, lost cattle, and increased security costs.
He blames Biden-era border policies — particularly the decision to halt wall construction — for emboldening cartels and overwhelming Border Patrol resources.
According to Chilton, cartels frequently used large groups of migrants as decoys, drawing agents away while drug smugglers moved through remote ravines.
Why Enforcement Works
Border Patrol officials say the turnaround is no accident.
Under Trump’s leadership, agents have increased patrols using drones, surveillance cameras, helicopters, horses, and all-terrain vehicles.
Most importantly, officials credit the return of clear consequences for illegal entry, including rapid deportations and long-term bans from re-entering the United States.
“Legal Immigration Is the Key”
Despite years of danger, the Chiltons stress they are not anti-immigrant.
They employ Mexican workers and even maintain water stations for migrants suffering from heat exhaustion.
“Immigrants are wonderful people,” Jim Chilton said. “They just need to come in legally.”
A Warning for the Future
While illegal crossings have dropped dramatically, ranchers warn that unfinished sections of the border wall remain vulnerable — and they hope Washington doesn’t forget the lessons learned during years of border failure.
For families who live and work along the border, the message is clear: strong enforcement works — and safety follows.