The Department of Homeland Security closed out fiscal year 2026 with its best numbers ever at the southwestern border, with only a trickle of illegal immigrants detected — and not a single one given a catch-and-release.
DHS said Friday that the Border Patrol recorded a 95% drop in apprehensions over the last 12 months, compared to the Biden administration.
That’s the lowest number on record.
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And for the 17th straight month, every single one of the migrants who was caught was either immediately returned to Mexico, detained by DHS or shipped to another authority for detention or prosecution.
By contrast, during some months under President Biden, the Border Patrol would catch-and-release 100,000 migrants, allowing them to seep deeper into American communities.
“President Trump promised the American people a secure border, and the data proves he delivered,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
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He’s operating under the same laws that the Biden administration had. But where the past administration sought reasons for leniency, the Trump team tilts toward enforcement.
With Mr. Trump’s border emergency declarations, increased capacity to detain illegal border crossers and restricted access to asylum, the new administration has undercut the incentives that spurred would-be illegal immigrants to attempt crossing.
Fewer people means fewer border deaths. DHS said that figure is down nearly 80% under Mr. Trump, compared to the Biden administration.
The lower rate of crossing has also hit the smuggling cartels, who specialize in drugs but also control the flow of people. DHS said they have been “disrupted.”
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