The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection announced that Fiscal Year 2025 saw the lowest number of annual border apprehensions since 1970.
“We have had the most secure border in American history and our end of year numbers prove it. We have shattered multiple records this year and once again we have broken a new record with the lowest number of Southwest border apprehensions in 55 years,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “Under President Trump, we have empowered and supported our law enforcement to do their job and they have delivered.”
In 1970, there were 201,780 apprehensions. According to preliminary enforcement numbers for September 2025, there were 237,565 apprehensions. The number is 87 percent below the average of the last four fiscal years, 1.86 million.
Nearly three-quarters of the apprehensions, 172,026 (72%), occurred under the Biden administration during the 111 days of the fiscal year.
September was the fifth consecutive month with zero migrant releases, compared to 9,144 releases in September 2024.
A White House statement described the border numbers as a “seismic turnaround.”
“After Biden-era chaos unleashed a record-shattering invasion, the seismic turnaround proves that strong leadership can, in fact, stop the flood of illegal crossings, deadly cartels, and security threats dead in their tracks,” the statement read.
In July, DHS celebrated the “most secure border in American history.”
“The world is hearing our message: the border is closed to law breakers,” Noem said at the time. “Under President Trump, our Border Patrol agents are empowered to do their job once again, secure our border and protect the American people.”
