The Trump administration recently announced a significant milestone for U.S. Border Patrol: 11 consecutive months without releasing any migrants into the United States from the southern border. This marks a notable departure from the previous administration’s policies, which often involved surges and the controversial “catch-and-release” practice.
According to new statistics from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Border Patrol made 8,268 arrests along the southwest border in March, averaging 267 arrests per day. This achievement not only continues the trend of zero releases but also highlights the administration’s efforts to maintain control at the border.
The figures for March show a slight increase from February, which saw 6,603 arrests with a daily average of 236. Despite this small rise, the numbers remain well below the levels experienced during the 2023 surge.
DHS reports that March’s arrest total is a staggering 97 percent lower than the peak reached in December 2023, and 90 percent below the monthly averages of the past 33 years. Furthermore, this March marked the 14th consecutive month with fewer than 9,000 arrests at the southwest border.
Secretary Markwayne Mullin highlighted these achievements in the administration’s latest communication, underscoring the stark contrast between current figures and those from December 2023, when agents were making an average of 336 arrests per hour during the height of the border surge.
“Eleven straight months of zero releases at the border. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history. The world knows America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers.”
As noted, Border Patrol’s daily average in March was 267 arrests. In December 2023, DHS says agents were averaging 336 arrests per hour at the peak of the surge.
At multiple points in 2023, Border Patrol stations reported being over capacity, with agents pulled off enforcement duties to process and release migrants into the interior. DHS data shows those conditions have not returned during the current stretch, with arrests staying low enough for agents to remain focused on enforcement rather than mass intake.
DHS affirmed Border Patrol has now gone 11 straight months without releasing migrants into the country, a reversal from the prior approach that saw large numbers of illegal entrants processed and allowed into the United States while awaiting court dates.
Administration officials tied the drop to changes in enforcement, including detention and removal policies put in place after Trump returned to office. Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said those changes did not require new laws:
“It turns out we didn’t need new laws to secure our border. We just needed a new President.”
DHS said daily arrests in March were 95 percent lower than the Biden-era daily average, while monthly totals remained far below both the late-2023 peak and long-term historical norms.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said the administration views the current numbers as lasting:
“America First policies, real consequences, and a unified federal effort backed by personnel, infrastructure, and technology are how we’ve delivered the most secure border in U.S. history. This isn’t temporary. This is the new normal.”
There are still arrests at the border every day. But for nearly a year, the numbers have not come close to the surge levels seen at the end of the Biden administration, and they have not returned.
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