U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported Friday that Border Patrol agents released zero migrants into the United States for the eighth consecutive month, according to operational statistics for December 2025.
The data, released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, show historically low encounter and apprehension numbers during both December and the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, which began in October.
CBP reported 91,603 total encounters nationwide between October and December, the lowest total ever recorded for the opening quarter of a fiscal year. The figure represents a 25 percent decline from the previous record low set in fiscal year 2012.
Along the southwest border, U.S. Border Patrol recorded 21,815 apprehensions during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, a 95 percent decrease compared to first-quarter averages recorded under the prior administration.
December encounter figures also remained at historically low levels. CBP reported 30,698 total encounters nationwide during the month, the lowest December total on record and a 92 percent decline from the peak monthly total reported in early 2024.
Southwest border apprehensions totaled 6,478 in December, averaging 209 apprehensions per day. CBP said those figures were 96 percent lower than daily and monthly averages reported during the Biden administration. The agency also reported zero parole releases during the month, compared to more than 7,000 releases along the southwest border in December 2024.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, on X, credited the results to border enforcement policies implemented under Donald Trump.
Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the dedication of DHS law enforcement, America’s borders are safer than any time in our nation’s history. What President Trump and our CBP agents and officers have been able to do in a single year is nothing short of extraordinary.
Once…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 16, 2026
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said the agency’s officers and agents have maintained consistent enforcement outcomes while continuing daily border security operations nationwide.
In addition to enforcement statistics, CBP reported significant drug seizures during December. Nationwide, the agency seized more than 39,000 pounds of illicit drugs, including 865 pounds of fentanyl, 12,833 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 3,800 pounds of cocaine.
The data were also cited in a series of posts on X by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which highlighted zero Border Patrol parole releases in December, sharp declines in nationwide encounters and apprehensions, large-scale drug seizures, and tariff and revenue collections reported by the agency.
CBP said full monthly statistics and supporting data are available through its publicly released reporting dashboards.
