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Illegal immigration across the southwest border plummeted in January, compared to December, as the flow of both illegal immigrant families and children traveling alone dried up, according to numbers released by Customs and Border Protection on Monday.

The numbers are still high compared to past years indeed, its the worst January in records dating back to 2012.

But total apprehensions of migrants trying to sneak across the border fell 27 percent on a month-to-month basis, to 31,575. And the number of inadmissible migrants who showed up at the southwests ports of entry fell 28 percent, to 10,899.

Apprehensions are deemed an indicator of the overall flow: The more people caught, the more are believed to be getting through.

The flow always decreases in the deep months of the winter, before picking up again in the spring. Last year Border Patrol apprehensions dropped 36 percent from December to January.

Overall total migration remained at elevated levels, primarily due to family units and unaccompanied children from Central America, Haitian nationals migrating from Brazil, and Cuban nationals, CBP said in releasing the numbers.

CBP continues to maintain a strong security posture through background checks of all individuals encountered and ensures that each person is processed in accordance with U.S. immigration laws and DHS policy, the agency said.

The number of Cubans showing up to demand entry fell from nearly 5,000 in December to just 1,572 in January, as President Obamas new Cuban policy kicked in Jan. 12. Under that policy, those who are caught on U.S. soil are no longer entitled to special treatment.

But the number of Haitians demanding entry ticked up in January, suggesting a renewed flow from that nationality. Tens of thousands of Haitians fled their island country over the last decade, heading to South America. But over the last year theyve started trying to gain a foothold in the U.S., enticed by what they saw as lax enforcement policies.

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Illegal immigration dropped 27 percent in January: Reports - Washington Times

Illegal immigration took center stage in the Texas House Wednesday during consideration of a bill to boost pay for low-income foster parents caring for a foster child who is a relative.

State Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, proposed an amendment to House Bill 4 that would have prohibited unauthorized immigrants from receiving the pay increase.

Here we are starting off a program right off the bat and paying monies to somebody who is not a documented citizen. I have a hard time with that Keough said.

Several House Democrats pounced, accusing Keough, a former car dealership sales manager, of being racist and a hypocrite for doing business with at least one person in the country illegally, and for putting politics before vulnerable children.

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, the most vocally opposed to Keoughs proposal, said it was shameful that the House descended into an illegal immigration debate on the first day of real business for the chamber this session.

When we got up this morning, we thought we were going to come here and talk about kids and how were going to protect kids. The debate has now turned into an immigration debate, Anchia said. These kids are innocent. They dont get to pick who their parents are, who their extended family are, who their caregivers are. Theyre just trying to survive.

Byron Cook, a Republican from Corsicana, also was unhappy with Keoughs amendment.

Im pretty heartbroken to be part of this today. We came here to take care of children, children that cant help their circumstance. If we put children first, we wouldnt be obsessive about whos providing the care, Cook said.

After proclaiming that he was not a racist, Keough eventually withdrew his amendment and House members unanimously gave initial approval of the bill.

Under the bill which was filed by Rep. Cindy Burkett, R-Sunnyvale, families that make no more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level or $72,750 for a family of four, according to 2016 federal guidelines could receive about $4,200 per year per child.

The cost to the state would be $32.5 million over the next two years.

Now, such people who take in family foster children are eligible to receive only a one-time payment of up to $1,000 for the oldest child in a sibling group and $495 for each additional child and an annual payment of up to $500 per child for child-related expenses.

Earlier Wednesday, House members also gave initial approval unanimously on House Bill 5, filed by Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls. It would move the Department of Family and Protective Services out from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission so that the department would become its own agency.

Frank said that the move would allow the department to make quicker decisions without wading through administrative red tape.

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Heated illegal immigration debate interrupts foster care talk in House - Austin American-Statesman

SPRINGDALE, Ohio -- Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price touted their plans for healthcare reform during a visit to a Tri-State business Thursday.

Speaking atFrame USAin Springdale, Pence said President Donald Trump's administration was working on plans for a healthcare system "built on a foundation of freedom and personal responsibility."

While the plans are still in the works, Pence said the future law would lower the cost of health insurance. He reiterated Trump's pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.

"The Obamacare nightmare is about to be over," Pence said.

Tying the issue to his hosts, Pence said the lower-cost healthcare system would allow small businesses like Frame USA to create more jobs.

"When small business is strong, America is strong," Pence said.

Pence's speech followed a tour of Frame USA's facility. The company makes frames for posters, pictures and artwork. The company was founded in 1982 in Maryland as a small art and print retailer and expanded to southwest Ohio. Frame USA moved its manufacturing, distribution and other operations to Springdale in 1990, according to its website.

Progress Ohio announced a protest to "show Pence we are pro-women, pro-healthcare, pro-LGBTQ Rights" will gather at 10 a.m. at the corner of Northland Boulevard and West Kemper Road. Expect traffic delays throughout the morning in the area.

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Vice President Mike Pence talks about healthcare in Springdale - WCPO

Vice President Pence stressed in an interview early Wednesday that Mexico will pay for President Trump's proposed border wall.

"One of the things people saw last night is that the candidate Donald TrumpDonald TrumpSenate Dem calls for Treasury probe into Trump business ties to Russia Trump Jr. likely paid K for event hosted by Russian allies: report MSNBC president: Ratings on rise because we give smartest coverage out there MORE is the President Donald Trump, and he spoke about those priorities," Pence said during an interview with "Good Morning America" host George Stephanopoulos. "We're going to build a wall. We're going to enforce the laws of this country."

"[Trump] didn't say Mexico is going to pay for [the wall]," Stephanopoulos interjected.

As a presidential candidate, Trump insisted that he would make Mexico pay for the massive wall. But the country's president, Enrique Pea Nieto, has firmly rejected that notion, saying it was "against our dignity as Mexicans."

Trump signed an executive order last month authorizing construction of the wall, but that order does not cover the cost of the wall.

Nevertheless, Pence insisted that Trump would ultimately keep his campaign promises, arguing that his agenda had the backing of the American people.

"The agenda that a majority of Americans believe is the right agenda for the country is exactly the agenda that President Trump is advancing," he said.

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Mike Pence: Mexico will pay for border wall - The Hill

Mike Pence's comments came less than an hour before news broke that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had, as a senator, met multiple times with Russias ambassador to the United States. | Getty

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday night that he has no plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin but that the White House will continue to seek areas of cooperation with Russia.

Appearing on Fox News The OReilly Factor, Pence said there are no plans on my part to meet with Putin. He was responding to a suggestion by host Bill OReilly that he do so. Pence added that the White Houses posture toward Russia had not changed.

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We made a strong commitment to NATO. We also made it very clear that two things are true: Were going to hold Russia accountable for ending violence in eastern Ukraine, Pence said. But in the same breath, our president continues to believe that if there is a way that we can find common ground with Russia, particularly in the fight against ISIS, hes determined to pursue that.

Pence's comments came less than an hour before news broke that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had, as a senator, met multiple times with Russias ambassador to the United States in the months before the 2016 election, meetings that he did not disclose under oath during confirmation hearings to take control of the Justice Department.

News of Sessions previously unknown meetings with the Russian ambassador has further inflamed allegations that President Donald Trumps campaign was in regular contact with the Kremlin, which actively sought to aid his candidacy by hacking into and then leaking the personal emails of prominent Democrats.

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Pence: I have no plans to meet with Putin - Politico