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The Department of Homeland Security announced this week that illegal border crossings reached the lowest level ever recorded for October, marking a significant milestone under President Donald Trump.
Preliminary U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows 30,561 total encounters last month, the lowest for any October since federal recordkeeping began. The figure is 29 percent below the previous October low set in 2012 and 79 percent lower than the October 2024 level. Border Patrol has also reported zero migrant releases for six straight months.
Officials stated that every person detained in October was processed in accordance with the law, with no releases into the interior of the United States.
“History made: the lowest border crossings in October history and the sixth straight month of ZERO releases. This is the most secure border ever,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Thank you, President Trump and our brave DHS law enforcement. You make America proud!”
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott praised frontline personnel for their “unmatched consistency.”
“Our mission is simple: Secure the border and safeguard this nation,” Scott also noted in the statement. “And that’s exactly what we are doing.” He added, “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 Trump returned to office, total monthly apprehensions have remained below 10,000, a level that the CBP says it has not seen in decades. The 9,845 apprehensions recorded in October were 62 percent lower than the previous October low set in 2018.
The daily average along the southwest border dropped to approximately 258 apprehensions per day in October, representing a decrease of roughly 95 percent compared to the average under the prior administration. From January through October, the southwest border recorded 106,134 total encounters, a number lower than the monthly average during former President Joe Biden’s term, when crossings routinely exceeded 150,000 per month.
CBP, the largest law enforcement agency in the country, said official October numbers will be released soon. Public CBP data indicate a significant decline in encounters since early 2025.