Decrease in Migrant Arrests at U.S.-Mexico Border
An unofficial report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection suggests a significant drop—nearly 95 percent—in the number of migrants apprehended after illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border since the peak of the Biden border crisis. Moreover, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mentioned in September that no undocumented individuals were released into the U.S. interior by Border Patrol.
A review by Breitbart Texas of unofficial Border Patrol data indicates that approximately 8,900 illegal immigrants were arrested in September after crossing the border at unauthorized locations. This brings the total apprehensions for the recently concluded FY26 to just under 137,000.
Earlier this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott shared with Breitbart News that Border Patrol has not released any illegal immigrants into the U.S. interior after their illegal entry. This marks over 16 months since new policies regarding migrant releases were enacted during the Trump administration.
Scott noted, “It’s not out officially yet, but we’re going to report soon: a full year with no releases from the border,” in an exclusive conversation with Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin highlighted that “Sixteen straight months of zero releases at the border proves that President Trump’s policies are working. Catch and release is over, consequences are back, and illegal crossings have fallen to historic lows. This is what a secure border looks like.”
In FY23, the height of the Biden border crisis, Border Patrol recorded 2,475,669 apprehensions of illegal migrants who crossed between ports of entry. The Trump administration’s reported figure for the end of FY26 is nearly 137,000, representing a decrease of 94.47 percent, as indicated in the unofficial report reviewed by Breitbart Texas.
From FY23 to FY26, there were 2,338,969 fewer illegal crossings.
During the first fiscal year of President Donald Trump’s second term, there was a marked shift in U.S. border security and immigration policy. According to official CBP reports, migrant apprehensions dropped from 2,135,005 in FY24 to just 443,671 in FY25.
Additionally, there was a notable decline in the number of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) apprehended. CBP noted that in FY23, 137,235 UACs were detained; that number dropped to a little over 7,600 in FY26.
Commissioner Scott stated that under current policies, UACs are not being handed over to illegal parents in the U.S. or labor traffickers, a practice observed during the Biden border crisis.
Instead, he explained, these children are sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, where most are processed for deportation back to their home countries.
Scott commented on the significant reduction in human smuggling operations by Mexican cartels, describing their current challenges:
“People miss this sometimes: The cartels need the illegal migrants. It’s a little extra money, but really they need them to overwhelm law enforcement at the border so they can bring in higher-threat items, whether narcotics or individuals paying more to avoid detection. But now, they’re struggling without these recruits.”
The sharp decline in border apprehensions, along with the complete stoppage of releases into the U.S. interior, signifies a pivotal conclusion to the Biden-era border crisis. This has dealt a serious blow to the cartel’s business model.
By implementing immediate consequences, detaining illegal border crossers, and swiftly processing unaccompanied minors for return, the administration has effectively stripped transnational criminal organizations of the human resources they previously relied on to overwhelm federal agents and smuggle high-risk contraband.
As the fiscal year-end figures highlight a historic 95 percent drop in illegal crossings, the evidence shows that firm enforcement and significant policy changes can indeed secure the southern border and dismantle the cartel networks that exploit it.
