Record-Low Border Releases Mark a Year of Declining Illegal Crossings

In April 2026 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that the United States has completed twelve consecutive months with zero releases of migrants apprehended by Border Patrol at the southwest border. The agency attributes the change to a reversal of the “catch-and-release” practice that characterized much of the Biden administration, when more than 68,000 migrants were released into the interior in a single month. Under the current administration, officials say the focus has shifted to immediate return and heightened frontline enforcement.

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• Illegal crossings: April 2026 saw 8,943 apprehensions, a 94 % decline from the monthly average during the Biden era and 96 % below the peak of December 2023.

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• Fiscal-year totals: Through April, total apprehensions for FY 26 stand at 54,789, down 95 % from the same period in FY 25. Encounters this fiscal year are 13 % lower than April 2024 alone.

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• Daily averages: The April daily average of 298 apprehensions is 94 % lower than the Biden-era daily average and less than the number captured in a single hour at the height of the 2023 surge (336 per hour).

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• Drug interdictions: CBP seized 61 % more illicit drugs through April 2026 than in the comparable period of FY 2024, and 53 % more than the four-year average for the same timeframe.

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• Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary, highlighted the end of catch-and-release and framed the results as evidence of the “most secure border in American history.”

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• Rodney Scott, CBP Commissioner, emphasized the contrast with prior policies and linked the reduced crossings to increased public safety.

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DHS officials presented the statistics as proof that the administration’s border-security policies are “making every American safer.” The agency argues that the dramatic drop in illegal entries, combined with a surge in drug seizures, demonstrates a successful pivot to enforcement rather than detention-center overflow. The statements stress that the current figures are “the lowest in decades” and suggest that the policies will continue to prioritize rapid removal and interdiction.

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Proponents contend that fewer illegal crossings reduce strain on local resources, lower crime associated with undocumented migration, and limit the flow of narcotics into U.S. communities. The increase in drug seizures is presented as a direct benefit of reallocating agents from “babysitting” migrants to frontline interdiction.

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All figures originate from DHS and CBP releases; independent verification or third-party audits are not cited in the source material. No alternative data sets or dissenting analyses are provided, leaving a gap in external validation of the reported declines.

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• “Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.” — Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary

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• “The days of catch and release are over. We are enforcing the nation’s laws and sending illegal aliens back to their home countries.” — Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary

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• “What a difference, America!” — Rodney Scott, CBP Commissioner

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• “Every minute of every day, President Trump’s border security policies are making every American safer,” — Rodney Scott, CBP Commissioner

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• “CBP has seized 61% more drugs this fiscal year through April than it seized during the same period of FY 2024, and CBP seized 53% more drugs this fiscal year than it seized on average during the last four years in this same period,” — DHS spokesperson, in a written release

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DHS indicated that the agency will maintain the zero-release stance throughout FY 26 and continue to monitor drug interdiction metrics. Future reports are expected to track whether the low apprehension rates persist and how they influence broader immigration policy debates.

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