Illegal border crossings have plummeted to the lowest level in U.S. history as President Trump’s enforcement policies reshape the nation’s southern border. In October 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded just 30,561 total encounters nationwide—a 79% drop from the same month last year. Border Patrol also reported six consecutive months without releasing a single illegal alien into the interior of the country.
Department of Homeland Security officials attribute the dramatic decline to a no-nonsense strategy of detention, swift removal, and zero tolerance for illegal entry. “Our mission is simple: secure the border and safeguard this nation,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. “No excuses. No politics. Just results.”
In sharp contrast to the Biden-era crisis, which overwhelmed agents with daily apprehensions exceeding 5,000, October saw just 8,000 apprehensions between ports of entry—an average of 258 per day, or less than 11 per hour. Officials note that one year ago, the system processed more than 300 illegal aliens every four hours.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the milestone, calling it the “most secure border ever” and thanking President Trump and frontline agents for delivering real security. “History made,” she declared in a statement.
For six straight months, Border Patrol agents released zero illegal aliens into the U.S. interior. Every apprehension in October was processed according to the law, setting a new standard for enforcement outcomes.
Since President Trump took office in January, Border Patrol has apprehended a total of 106,134 illegal aliens—fewer than the monthly average under the previous administration. Officials credit this to a level of sustained deterrence not seen in decades, with monthly apprehensions consistently staying below 10,000.
Trump’s border strategy is being hailed by DHS leadership as the most effective in modern history. The focus remains on closing asylum loopholes, expanding detention capacity, and removing incentives that once drove mass illegal migration.
