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The Trump administration has announced that border crossings remained at record lows in August, marking the fourth straight month without a single migrant released into the United States on parole.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 26,197 total encounters nationwide last month, which officials said is 93 percent below the peak reached under the Biden administration in 2022.
“We are proving every day that tough, consistent enforcement works,” CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said in a statement. “Border crossings are at record lows, mass catch-and-release is over, and our agents are delivering results for the American people.”
According to CBP data, 6,319 people were apprehended by the Border Patrol along the southwest border in August, a 96 percent drop compared to the monthly average under the previous administration. That figure is less than the number of people apprehended in just four days in August 2024. Daily, Border Patrol agents recorded 204 apprehensions, also down 96 percent, according to the press release.
The agency highlighted that no migrants were released on parole during the month, compared with more than 10,000 released by the Border Patrol in August 2024.
In addition to reporting fewer crossings, CBP said it continues to focus on drug interdictions. The agency seized 755 pounds of fentanyl in August, along with increased amounts of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Methamphetamine seizures rose 37 percent from July, while total drug seizures by weight increased 9.2 percent.
“This is unprecedented in history,” Ammon Blair, a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation who spent over a decade working as a Border Patrol agent, said to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Given what’s happening around the world right now, you’re seeing more incursions into England than you are into the United States. That’s insane.”
CBP also pointed to its role in trade enforcement, noting that it processed $261 billion in imports and identified $29.2 billion in duties owed in August. Since January, the agency said it has collected $171.3 billion in tariffs, taxes, and fees under 32 presidential tariff actions.
Administration officials say the combination of tougher border enforcement, stricter parole policies, and stepped-up trade oversight reflects a commitment to securing both the nation’s borders and its economic interests.