Mario crosses the bridge from El Paso to Ciudad Juárez almost every day to get to work. For years he has watched the wall from the line of cars, but this week he noticed something different: on the other side, where groups of people used to wait, there is no one anymore. On Saturday he mentioned it to his brother, who drives a truck in the area. “Yeah,” his brother told him, “they say the government announced this was the quietest year in history at the border.” Mario wasn’t sure whether to believe him. Here are the official figures, so he can check them himself.
What the government announced
On Friday, October 16, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released preliminary data for fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 through September 2026). These are the figures from the official announcement:
- 98,708 apprehensions at the southwest border: the lowest level in the agency’s history. That is 95% below the Biden administration’s annual average (more than 1.8 million per year) and 60% below Biden’s single highest month alone (249,740).
- 379,243 nationwide encounters (including ports of entry and the northern border): also the lowest in history. That is 88% below fiscal year 2023, the highest ever recorded.
- Zero releases: the first fiscal year in history in which the Border Patrol released no one into the country. September marked the 17th consecutive month with no releases.
- Border deaths identified by the Border Patrol fell by nearly 80% in fiscal year 2026.
“President Trump promised the American people a secure border, and the data proves he delivered,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in the announcement. CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott credited the results to focused enforcement, strong partnerships, and the work of frontline personnel.
Wall, technology, and drugs
The announcement also reported the year’s physical progress:
- 250 miles of new border barrier built since January 20, 2025, including primary and secondary barriers, waterborne barriers, and supporting technology.
- $34.3 billion committed between September 2025 and September 2026 for “Smart Wall” projects across all southwest border states, funded by the Working Families Tax Cut Act.
- Nearly one million pounds of drugs seized in fiscal year 2026: 63% more than the 600,000-pound annual average of the previous four years.
- More than 4,000 shipments stopped on suspicion of forced labor (worth over $325 million), and nearly 55.5 million counterfeit goods seized (worth over $12.6 billion), including 476,903 items infringing FIFA World Cup intellectual property.
What this means for you
If you are thinking of crossing: the government’s message is direct — don’t try to enter illegally, or you will be apprehended, detained, and deported. With zero releases, there is no release into the country after a detention.
If you have family on the other side waiting to cross: these figures confirm the routes are closed like never before. The realistic option is legal pathways and an immigration lawyer, not crossing.
If you live in the U.S. with documents: the death figure — nearly 80% fewer — shows the human side of the number: fewer crossings meant fewer lives lost in the desert. And with the November 3 elections 17 days away, these numbers will be the government’s central argument on the campaign trail.
If you have a pending case: the announcement does not change your proceedings. What changes are the conditions at the border, not USCIS processes or court cases.
What to do today, in order
- Don’t act on rumors. If you have a court date or a pending immigration case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney — not to what’s circulating on WhatsApp.
- Check your documents. If your work permit is about to expire, renew in time and stay informed about the current rules.
- If you are a citizen, vote. There are 17 days left until November 3: check your registration and your state’s deadlines.
- Stay informed. Official figures are updated in DHS and CBP announcements: follow Actual USA’s news.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), October 16, 2026: “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS Announces Lowest Fiscal Year Border Crossings in American History”
- CBP data cited in the same official DHS announcement.
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