WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a major milestone in border enforcement this week, reporting an 11th consecutive month of zero releases at the southern border. According to the latest figures, border encounters for the first half of the 2026 fiscal year have reached their lowest levels in recorded history. Officials credit the sustained decline to the implementation of robust enforcement measures and “America First” policies that have fundamentally altered the landscape of the southwest border.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin lauded the achievement, stating that the administration is delivering the most secure border in the nation’s history. Mullin emphasized that the policy of zero releases sends a clear message to the international community that the borders are closed to those attempting to enter the country illegally. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott echoed these sentiments, noting that the combination of increased personnel, improved infrastructure, and advanced technology has turned these record-low numbers into the “new normal” for federal law enforcement.
The statistical shift is stark when compared to previous years. In March 2026, the U.S. Border Patrol reported just 8,268 apprehensions along the southwest border—a figure 97% lower than the peak seen in December 2023. This marks the 14th consecutive month that apprehensions have remained below the 9,000 mark. On a daily basis, March saw an average of only 267 apprehensions, which is a 95% decrease from the daily averages reported during the previous administration. Officials noted that the total number of people apprehended in the entire month of March was lower than the number of people apprehended in a single hour during the height of the border crisis in late 2023.
Beyond migration numbers, the administration highlighted a significant increase in drug interdictions. CBP reported seizing more than 65,000 pounds of narcotics nationwide in March alone, including 613 pounds of fentanyl. This represents a 27% increase in drug seizures compared to March 2024. For the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, drug seizures are up 24% over the same period in 2024, a trend the administration attributes to more aggressive frontline enforcement and a unified federal effort to keep dangerous substances from reaching American communities.
Economic and trade enforcement also played a central role in the monthly report. In March, CBP processed approximately $323 billion in imports and identified $24 billion in duties for collection. The agency also continued its crackdown on forced labor and intellectual property theft, stopping 304 shipments valued at $12 million for potential labor violations and seizing over 2,700 shipments of counterfeit goods with an estimated value of $1.1 billion. Additionally, agricultural specialists issued over 7,700 emergency notifications to protect the U.S. food supply and conducted more than 106,000 passenger inspections to prevent the entry of prohibited biological products.
I would bet the farm that there were many people who crossed the border in the last 11 months. That claim is about as truthful as trump saying that we won the war with Iran and they agreed with all of our demands.
proof, how many illegals are you hiding?
do you know how many miles long the border is? Do you know how many underground tunnels there are going under the border? That claim, as I said, is about as truthful as Iran agreeing to all our demands. I am not hiding any illegals. Your mother moved out long ago.