Border Patrol reports 10 consecutive months of zero migrant releases

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday that Border Patrol agents have not released a single migrant into the U.S. interior for 10 consecutive months, pointing to what officials described as historically low levels of illegal crossings.

The DHS said in a press release that data from February shows U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded its tenth straight month with zero migrant releases at the border, and the agency credited an “enforcement-first” approach for the sustained drop.

“Ten straight months of ZERO illegal aliens released at the border. President Donald Trump promised to secure the Border, and that is a promise we delivered,” former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. 

“We have the most secure border in American history. Our borders are CLOSED to lawbreakers.”

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CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said the trend reflects a broader decline in crossings, adding that Border Patrol has not released any migrants into the country during that period.

“February marks the tenth straight month that U.S. Border Patrol has not released a single illegal alien into the interior of the United States, a clear reflection of the enforcement-first posture restoring integrity to our nation’s borders,” Scott said.

According to CBP data, agents recorded 26,963 encounters nationwide in February, down 22% from the previous month and 88% below the monthly average during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

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At the southwest border, agents made 6,603 apprehensions in February, a figure the agency said is 92% lower than the monthly average over the past three decades and 97% below the peak of the Biden administration in December 2023.

Officials also pointed to a sharp decline in daily crossings, with Border Patrol averaging 236 apprehensions per day in February, a 95% drop compared to the previous administration.

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At the same time, CBP reported a surge in drug seizures after agents confiscating more than 79,000 pounds of narcotics nationwide last month, the highest monthly total since October 2021.

The agency said fentanyl seizures increased 67% from January, while marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine seizures also rose significantly.

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Scott said the agency remains focused on enforcement and national security.

“While threats to our national and economic security continue to evolve, so does our resolve to meet them as we carry out our mission of protecting the homeland while facilitating lawful travel and trade,” he said.