New data indicates that illegal border entries along the U.S. southwest border reached a record low in February.
Citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures, The Center Square reports that only 8,326 foreign nationals were apprehended last month—claimed to be the lowest number ever documented by the agency.
This historic dip comes in contrast to previous February totals: over 189,000 in 2024 and more than 156,000 in 2023.
This achievement is a result of the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies.
Trump enacted executive orders and enforcement measures on his first day in office. These orders included declaring an invasion at the border, issuing a national emergency declaration, and mobilizing the U.S. military to assist with apprehensions and deportations.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem celebrated the numbers, stating, “February was the lowest month in recorded history for encounters at our border. The world is hearing our message: do not come to our country illegally.” Her department has also supported a push for self-deportation measures and warned that those who fail to comply could face permanent bans from reentry.
President Trump took to Truth Social to praise what he called “the lowest number of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country in history – BY FAR!” He emphasized that all who were apprehended were swiftly removed or prosecuted. The Trump administration has also prioritized reuniting or locating unaccompanied minors and addressing concerns about children smuggled under the Biden administration.
Efforts to locate and protect unaccompanied minors remain a priority.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has focused on finding hundreds of thousands of children allegedly smuggled into the country at the hands of criminal cartels under the previous administration, many of whom were placed with unvetted sponsors and effectively lost in the system.