Money Flow Linked to Human Smuggling Plunges in Trump Crackdown

The US government watches banks and money-transfer companies for money that might be used to help people sneak into the country.

A new report from the US Treasury says suspicious payments like these dropped by more than half in 2025.

This happened because the government made it much harder for people to enter the US without permission.

It limited the asylum system, rolled back protections for immigrants in court, and sped up deportations.

Even so, from 2023 to 2025, more than $4.9 billion in suspected smuggling money was sent or tried to be sent.

Most of the suspicious reports came from money-transfer businesses, not big banks.

But the crackdown also pushed smugglers to take bigger risks.

In May, six migrants were found dead inside a very hot train car near Laredo, Texas.

Officials are also watching for smuggling by boat because land crossings have become harder.