US Experiences Historic Drop in Illegal Immigration, DHS Reports
Zero illegal immigrants have been released into the United States in the last four consecutive months, according to data released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At the same time, a record number of illegal immigrants have exited the United States.
DHS data show that daily encounters with people crossing into the country unlawfully dropped by 93 percent, while daily apprehensions dropped by 96 percent since January.
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The flow of migrants making their way to the United States from Central America has also reduced by 97 percent, according to the agency, which oversees Border Patrol.
“We have the most secure border in our nation’s history,” stated DHS secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference last month at the border wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. “We had 1.6 million illegal aliens that have gone home voluntarily.”
Since January, the department said it has taken 422,000 illegal immigrants into custody. And 70 percent of those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have criminal charges pending or criminal convictions.
Since January, the overall foreign-born population in the United States has fallen by 2.2 million and 2.5 million American-born workers have entered the workforce, according to DHS.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show that border authorities had 3,066 terrorism-related encounters at land ports of entry in fiscal year 2025 through August, including airports.
“Noncitizens who match to a terrorism-related record that are encountered by the CBP Office of Field Operations at land ports of entry are most commonly found inadmissible to our country and immediately repatriated or removed,” CPB states.
During the same period, Border Patrol agents arrested 61 people on a terrorism watchlist who crossed the southern border illegally.
The department has increased its manpower through its 287(g) agreements between ICE and state and local law enforcement.
The agreements give state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specific immigration functions, with ICE oversight and funding. The additional authority includes jail enforcement and executing and serving warrants on illegal immigrants.
In 2023 under the Biden administration, unauthorized immigrant populations in the US reached a record 14 million.
–By Darlene McCormick Sanchez | The Epoch Times
