The number of border crossers entering Canada illegally from the US rose from June to July, but remained sharply below the pace of last summer.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police intercepted 1,634 migrants last month, marking a 29.37 percent increase from the previous month, Canada's immigration department said this week.

There were 1,263 intercepted illegal border crossing attempts recorded in June.

Both of those numbers are far below the 3,134 caught in July 2017 or the record 5,712 in August of last year, a time period include in a a surge that strained Canada's immigration system.

Officials say the drop is likely due to their warnings that winning asylum isn't as easy as some believed.

The number of border crossers entering Canada illegally from the US rose from June to July, but remained sharply below the pace of last summer, as Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel blamed part of the influx on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's January 2017 tweet welcoming migrants; Trudeau is seen here speaking during a news conference at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Brussels, Belgium, on July 12

Michelle Rempel, the opposition Conservative immigration critic, noted the numbers over a wider period of time, between January and August, are up this year over the same time frame last year.

The surge in migrants to Canada began last year shortly after the Trump administration announced plans to withdraw temporary protected status for individuals living in the US from certain countries, including Haiti and El Salvador.

Rempel blamed part of the influx on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's January 2017 tweet welcoming migrants.

Michelle Rempel, the opposition Conservative immigration critic, blamed part of the influx on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's January 2017 tweet welcoming migrants

Trudeau reacted to Trump's ban of Muslims from certain countries at that time by tweeting:

'To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.'

Many of the migrants have said they left the US fearing deportation due to increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump and believing Canada would automatically give them residence, only to experience a rude awakening upon arrival.

Canadian officials say economic reasons are not grounds for asylum and that many crossing the border illegally won't be allowed to stay.

Trudeau's tweet was in reactint to US President Donald Trump's ban of Muslims from certain countries at that time; Trump is shown here at the Trump National Golf Club on Thursday in Bedminster, New Jersey

Mathieu Genest, a spokesperson for Canada's immigration minister, said the government is making investments to improve border security and speed up the processing of asylum claims.

'Canadians expect all levels of government to work together to live up to our international and humanitarian obligations,' Genest said.

Of the 3,462 asylum claims that were finalized between February 2017 and March 2018, just 36 percent were approved.

The immigration department said 1,257 applications for asylum were rejected while others were abandoned or withdrawn for other reasons.