Ongoing raids on undocumented Central Americans in the U.S. have caused a significant drop in undocumented persons entering the country, Department of Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson said Thursday.

Speaking in Washington, Johnson noted that number of undocumented minors apprehended by federal agents at the nation's southwest border dropped 54 percent, and the number of those in families fell 65 percent. 

For context, look at the figures from last year.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that 6,786 unaccompanied minors and 8,974 family members were apprehended at the border as recently as December 2015. In the big picture, over 100,000 families with children have reportedly made the southwest border crossing since 2014.

In the month after the new raids — which kicked off on New Year's weekend with the detainment of 121 undocumented Central Americans — border apprehensions dropped to 3,113 unaccompanied minors and 3,145 family members, the Post reported last week.

Johnson called the numbers "encouraging," according to NBC News.

Despite the decline, DHS has announced that it has no intention of ending the programmed raids.

“While the one-month decline in January is encouraging, this does not mean we can dial back our border security efforts,” Johnson said in a statement last week. “Recent enforcement actions, which focus on those apprehended at the border on or after January 1, 2014, will continue…Our policy is clear: we will continue to enforce the immigration laws and secure our borders consistent with our priorities and values.”

Johnson emphasized again Thursday that the department will not dial back its efforts.