Trump administration touts historic border security as apprehensions plunge 96%

WASHINGTON, DC: The Trump administration announced a record low in migrant apprehensions along the US-Mexico border, with Border Patrol agents capturing 98,708 people during fiscal year 2026, according to initial figures released by the Department of Homeland Security. It is nearly 95% below the more than 1.8 million yearly migrant arrests under President Joe Biden.

The numbers, unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday, also reveal that apprehensions plummeted by more than 96% from their peak of 249,740 in December 2023 to around 8,900 at the end of September 2026. The drop was attributed by DHS officials to Trump administration-era border security measures such as ending the practice of releasing migrants into the US interior following apprehension.

DHS credits Trump policies as border apprehensions hit historic low

“President Trump promised the American people a secure border, and the data proves he delivered. Over the past year, CBP recorded its lowest numbers in American history. A stark contrast to Biden, where CBP recorded its highest illegal immigration numbers ever,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

“The results could not be clearer: strong enforcement works. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the hard work of CBP and DHS law enforcement personnel, we have restored control of the border and made America safer than ever.”

On day one of President Donald Trump’s second term, he signed a series of ten executive orders aimed at securing the US-Mexico border and taking on the Mexican cartels, Breitbart Texas reported.

His orders established a national state of emergency and provided additional resources for a whole-of-government approach to border security, illegal immigration, and drug trafficking enforcement activities.

According to the department, Border Patrol reported fewer than 99,000 apprehensions of immigrants who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry during fiscal year 2026. It is also about 60% lower than Biden's record month of December 2023.

CBP Commissioner Rodney S Scott attributed the numbers to the enforcement activities and interagency collaboration.

“FY 2026 demonstrated what focused enforcement, strong partnerships, and the commitment of our frontline personnel can achieve,” said Scott. 

Border Patrol records zero releases as nationwide encounters fall

The DHS report also noted a significant change in the processing of migrants apprehended at the border.

According to the agency, the fiscal year 2026 was the first one in which Border Patrol saw zero releases into the US interior.

The officials claimed that there have not been any migrants released by Border Patrol into the interior in the last 17 months.

The preliminary data also showed that the total number of encounters across the country was 379,243 in fiscal year 2026, which is the lowest it has been in the history of the agency. It comes compared to approximately 2.7 million encounters per year during the Biden administration, according to DHS.

The fiscal year 2026 total was 88% lower than the record-high number of encounters recorded in fiscal year 2023.

The numbers were for the fiscal year ended September 30 and include preliminary federal statistics. DHS touted the numbers as proof that its revamped strategy was driving down illegal crossings and restricting releases into the country.

While the administration has credited the huge drop to its policies, the latest report contains mainly enforcement data and the agency's rationale for the shift. The numbers represent a huge drop in apprehensions from both the Biden-era average and the December 2023 peak.