The Trump administration has achieved what the Biden-Harris team claimed was impossible: nine consecutive months of zero illegal immigrant releases at the southern border, marking the most secure border in American history.
Story Highlights
- U.S. Border Patrol reports ninth straight month with zero releases of illegal immigrants into the interior, compared to 7,041 releases in December 2024 under Biden
- December 2025 saw only 6,478 southwest border apprehensions—a staggering 96% reduction from Biden-era monthly averages exceeding 160,000
- FY2026 first quarter encounters hit the lowest level ever recorded, with apprehensions 95% below Biden administration averages
- The enforcement success comes alongside record tariff collections of $297 billion and unprecedented drug interdictions by federal agents
Border Enforcement Reaches Historic Milestone
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that December 2025 marked the eighth consecutive month of zero releases by U.S. Border Patrol, with data now confirming a ninth month as of January 2026. Nationwide encounters totaled just 30,698 in December, representing a 92% decline from Biden-era peak months that exceeded 370,000 encounters. Southwest border apprehensions dropped to 6,478—merely 209 per day—compared to the Biden administration’s catastrophic daily rates. This dramatic reversal validates President Trump’s enforcement-first approach and exposes the previous administration’s willful abandonment of immigration law.
Dismantling Biden’s Catch-and-Release Disaster
The Biden-Harris administration’s reckless catch-and-release policies flooded American communities with illegal immigrants, releasing 7,041 individuals in December 2024 alone. Monthly apprehensions under Biden averaged over 160,000, with fiscal year 2021 seeing 1.6 million Border Patrol apprehensions. President Trump ended this madness immediately upon taking office January 20, 2025, surging enforcement resources and ending the policies that incentivized illegal crossings. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declared the results “unmatched enforcement” creating the “most secure border in history,” a stark contrast to the chaos American families endured under leftist open-border policies.
Record-Low Apprehensions Validate Trump Policies
Fiscal year 2026’s first quarter produced just 91,603 total nationwide encounters—the lowest ever recorded for any fiscal year start. Southwest Border Patrol apprehensions from October through December totaled only 21,815, representing a 95% reduction from Biden’s first quarter averages. These numbers fell below even the previous historic low from fiscal year 2012, which saw 121,469 first-quarter encounters—still 25% higher than current levels. House Homeland Security Chairman Michael Guest credited Trump’s policies for delivering “the lowest apprehensions in half a century,” demonstrating that border security is achievable when leadership prioritizes American sovereignty over globalist agenda.
Comprehensive Security Beyond Border Apprehensions
The Trump administration’s border success extends beyond apprehension statistics. CBP collected $297 billion in tariffs from January through December 2025, with December alone generating $28.4 billion in duties, protecting American workers and industries. The U.S. Coast Guard seized $3.8 billion worth of cocaine in fiscal year 2025 as cartels attempted maritime smuggling routes. DHS awarded contracts for 230 miles of border barrier construction, while nationwide encounters dropped 82% year-over-year by September 2025. These multifaceted achievements demonstrate comprehensive security that protects communities from drug trafficking, human smuggling, and the criminal cartels profiting from illegal immigration.
Historic: U.S. Marks Ninth Month With Zero Releases at the Border
https://t.co/ukzcDFi0i7— Townhall Updates (@TownhallUpdates) February 9, 2026
Despite these clear victories, questions remain about deportation figures. DHS claimed 605,000 deportations since January 20, 2025, but independent verification through UCLA’s Deportation Data Project using Freedom of Information Act requests documented approximately 350,000 deportations—highlighting the need for transparency even as enforcement dramatically improves. The Trump administration’s border achievements stand in sharp relief against the Biden-Harris disaster, proving that enforcing existing law protects American communities, respects legal immigrants who followed the rules, and upholds the constitutional duty to secure our nation’s borders.
Sources:
USBP Reports Zero Releases for 8th Month – Texas Border Business
PolitiFact FL: Immigration After One Year Under Trump – WLRN
