[REVISION HISTORY]

US southwest border apprehension trends

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2026-10-21 03:15 UTC → 2026-10-24 11:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

For fiscal year 2026, the Department of Homeland Security reported that southwest border apprehensions reached 98,708, a 95 percent decline from the annual averages recorded during the Biden administration. Nationwide encounters totaled 379,243, which the agency described as a historic low, though federal records indicate that total apprehensions were lower in fiscal years 1966 and 1967. Officials noted that fiscal 2026 was the first year in which Border Patrol recorded zero releases of apprehended migrants at the border, marking seventeen consecutive months without such releases. Additionally, reports indicate an approximately 80 percent decline in migrant deaths and a 63 percent increase in drug seizures compared to the previous four-year average. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the data proves the effectiveness of strong enforcement in restoring border control. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott attributed the record low encounter numbers to sustained enforcement and the deterrent effects of increased border security. Nationwide encounters, which include individuals stopped at ports of entry, represented an 88 percent decrease from fiscal 2023.

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