In January, President Trump vowed to hire 5,000 new Border Patrol agents. It never happened

WASHINGTON — Five days after President Donald Trump took office, he signed an executive order that promised a swift, sharp crackdown on illegal immigration — immediate construction of a massive border wall, quick hiring of 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and stepped-up deportation of undocumented migrants.

"Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders," Trump declared at the Jan. 25 ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security, which controls federal immigration agencies.

Seven months later, construction of the wall has yet to begin, the number of Border Patrol officers has actually dropped by 220, and immigration agents are on track to deport 10,000 fewer people this year than in President Barack Obama's last year in office, the latest figures show.

To be sure, part of Trump's crackdown is showing dramatic results. Illegal border crossings are down 22 percent compared with last summer. Arrests of people in the country illegally have surged 43 percent since January, including longtime residents who bought homes, paid taxes and raised families here.

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