The Department of Homeland Security reported Friday that illegal border crossings have dropped to historic lows, with twelve consecutive months of zero releases into the United States and daily apprehensions down 95 percent from the previous administration.

Unprecedented Border Security Numbers

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the milestone achievement, stating the nation now has the most secure border in American history. The agency detained 8,943 illegal immigrants in April 2026, a figure equivalent to just three days of crossings during the final year of the Biden administration. Daily apprehensions averaged 298 along the southwest border, representing 94 percent fewer encounters than under the previous administration.

Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott emphasized the dramatic shift from April 2024, when more than 68,000 individuals were released into the country. The current monthly totals mark fifteen straight months with fewer than 9,000 detentions. April’s daily apprehension rate was lower than a single hour during peak crossings in December 2023, when 336 people crossed per hour under Biden administration policies.

Sharp Contrast to Previous Administration

The numbers reveal a stark departure from recent history. Total apprehensions along the Southwest border since October have fallen 37 percent below the monthly average recorded from 1992 through 2024. In April 2024, the Southwest border experienced 179,000 encounters, with projections indicating border encounters would reach 10 million for that fiscal year. Those April 2024 numbers represented nearly 100 percent increase from April 2021 figures.

DHS credits the turnaround to strict enforcement policies and the elimination of catch and release practices. The administration now returns individuals who cross illegally directly to their home countries rather than releasing them pending immigration proceedings. Secretary Mullin stated the government is enforcing existing laws consistently.

Drug Seizures Rise Dramatically

Enhanced border security has also increased drug interdiction efforts. Nationwide seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana combined by weight increased 60 percent from April 2024 to April 2026. Heroin seizures jumped 73 percent compared with March 2026, while methamphetamine seizures rose 63 percent. Customs and Border Protection seized 463 pounds of fentanyl in April alone. Through April of the current fiscal year, Border Patrol seized 61 percent more drugs than during the same period in fiscal year 2024, and 53 percent more than the four-year average for that timeframe.