The number of people who attempted to illegally enter the United States from Mexico dropped for a second consecutive month in July to 31,303, after peaking in May at 40,333, according to new Department of Homeland Security data.

Officials caught 34,095 people trying to enter the U.S. between official ports of entry in June. The July number showed an 8 percent drop from June, and a 22 percent drop from the May high.