Trump Administration Reports 15 Months of Zero Border Releases

The Trump administration reported on August 14, 2026, that the United States has achieved 15 consecutive months without releasing undocumented migrants at the border. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated that daily border apprehensions have reached a 30-year low, decreasing by 94 percent compared to the average during the Joe Biden administration.

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that agents apprehended 9,295 people along the southwest border in July, representing a 6 percent decrease from June and a 96 percent drop from the December 2023 peak. Despite the decline in crossings, the agency reported a 26 percent increase in the weight of nationwide drug seizures in July compared to July 2024, including 1,054 pounds of fentanyl.

Financial and trade enforcement also intensified in July. U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified $23 billion in tariff duties for collection, processed $342 billion in imports, and blocked $83 million in shipments suspected of forced labor violations. To codify these policies, the House of Representatives is considering the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act, which aims to criminalize visa overstays, end catch and release, and modernize surveillance technology.