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Trump Administration Touts 13 Straight Months of Zero Border Releases

Southwest border apprehensions were 94 percent lower than under the Biden administration, according to the agency.

Published: 6/19/2026, 3:47:46 PM EDT

Trump Administration Touts 13 Straight Months of Zero Border Releases — Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States walk along the border fence as the sun rises on their way to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing into Arizona from Mexico in Yuma, Ariz., on May 11, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced 13 consecutive months of zero releases at the border.

Both agencies on Thursday highlighted the milestone, citing a sustained decline in illegal border crossings and apprehensions from the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration.

“Thirteen straight months of ZERO releases at the border. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history,” Mullin said in a statement. “The days of catch and release are over. We are enforcing the nation’s laws and quickly sending illegal aliens back to their home countries, ensuring the safety and sovereignty of our nation.”

Trump immediately launched a sweeping agenda to combat illegal immigration after he was sworn into office for his second term and signed an executive order on Jan. 20 that directed federal agencies to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. The directive stated that illegal immigrants “present significant threats to national security and public safety.”

Democrats, meanwhile, have vehemently opposed Trump’s sweeping agenda, claiming that individuals have been targeted without due process.

In Minnesota, two American citizens were shot and killed by federal agents during targeted enforcement operations. Federal officials claimed the residents were impeding federal operations at the time, while the Minneapolis prosecutor's office said it would be looking into federal agents' potentially unlawful behavior.

Those two cases remain under investigation.

Thursday’s data provided by the CBP shows that illegal crossings remained historically low during the month of May.

Southwest border apprehensions were 94 percent lower than under the Biden administration, according to the agency. The Border Patrol’s apprehensions along the southwest border in May were 94 percent lower than the monthly average of the Biden administration and 96 percent below its peak.

CBP also said fiscal year-to-date apprehensions are at an historic low. The total Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border this fiscal year through May are 26 percentlower than just one month on average from Fiscal Years 1992 through 2024, the agency noted.

“This milestone, coupled with historically low illegal crossings, demonstrates our unwavering commitment to securing our nation. Our robust enforcement policies are working, and we are delivering unprecedented results in border security, drug interdiction, and trade enforcement,” CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott said in a statement.

Reuters contributed to this report.