The U.S. border saw its most secure month on record in October, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The sharp reduction marks a dramatic shift from the final year of the Biden administration, reflecting intensified enforcement under President Donald Trump's leadership.
Meanwhile, encounters dropped 79 percent compared to October 2024.
The numbers translate to roughly 258 apprehensions per day along the southwest border, or approximately one person every four minutes. By comparison, daily averages during the final months of the previous administration reached 5,110. In October 2024, there were 312 illegal immigrants apprehended every four hours, while today, that’s a day’s worth of apprehensions, officials said.
"History made: the lowest border crossings in October history and the sixth straight month of ZERO releases. This is the most secure border ever," said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
The agency said it also reached another milestone of six consecutive months of zero releases of illegal aliens into the United States by the U.S. Border Patrol. This means that every individual apprehended has been processed in accordance with the law.
Since Trump took office on Jan. 21, the southwest border has recorded 106,134 total encounters through October's end—a volume that falls short of the Biden administration's average monthly total of 155,485.
Monthly totals have averaged under 10,000 nationwide, with October's 9,845 apprehensions representing a 62 percent decline from the previous October low recorded in fiscal year 2018.
"Our mission is simple: secure the border and safeguard this nation," CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said. “And that's exactly what we are doing. No excuses. No politics. Just results delivered by the most dedicated law-enforcement professionals in the country. We're not easing up—we're pushing even harder."
Officials noted that the October figures are preliminary, with final numbers expected in the coming weeks.
The historic low comes as the DHS has simultaneously expanded biometric screening capabilities at U.S. ports of entry.
The facial comparison technology maintains match rates exceeding 98 percent accuracy, according to National Institute of Standards and Technology assessments. The agency projects full deployment across all commercial airports and seaports within 3 to 5 years.