U.S. Border Patrol recorded its eleventh month of zero southern border releases. The trend has not been seen in over three decades, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shared.
March apprehensions were 90% lower than the monthly average over the last 33 years. The statistics come as March was the 14th consecutive month of fewer than 9,000 migrant apprehensions. Border Patrol noted that 267 migrants, on average, were apprehended each day along the southwest border throughout March. The number is 95% lower than the daily average under the Biden administration.
“Eleven straight months of ZERO releases at the border. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The world knows America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers.”
“America First policies, real consequences, and a unified federal effort—backed by personnel, infrastructure, and technology—are how we’ve delivered the most secure border in U.S. history,” CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we’re building on what works, refining our approach, and locking in real border security. This isn’t temporary—it’s the new normal.”
Data also indicates that in March, more than 65,000 pounds of drugs, including 613 pounds of fentanyl was seized. The pounds seized is 27% more than in March 2024.
February 2026 was the “highest single month of drug seizures nationwide (79,609 pounds) since October 2021, an 84% increase from last month,” CBP announced. Data shared last month revealed that migrant encounters were 22% lower than the month prior and 88% below the monthly average under the previous White House administration.
