Trump’s Border Policies Deliver What Biden’s Never Could
The Department of Homeland Security dropped the April 2026 southwest border numbers on May 15, and they are nothing short of historic. U.S. Border Patrol recorded just 8,943 apprehensions — a 94% drop from the Biden administration’s monthly average and 96% below the December 2023 peak. Daily averages sat at 298 encounters, levels not seen since the 1970s. Most importantly, for the 12th straight month, Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into the American interior. Not one. Every single person apprehended was either quickly removed, returned to Mexico, or held in custody according to law. This is what a secure border looks like when the adults are back in charge.
The Biden-Era Catastrophe in Stark Contrast
Compare that to the open-border nightmare under Biden-Harris. Monthly southwest border encounters routinely topped 200,000–250,000, with peaks over 370,000. Nationwide encounters exceeded 10 million by the end of their term, plus an estimated 1.5–2 million gotaways who slipped through undetected. Catch-and-release wasn’t a bug — it was policy. In April 2024 alone, more than 68,000 illegal aliens were released into U.S. communities while awaiting hearings that most never showed up for. Entire cities and states were overwhelmed with shelter costs, hospital bills, school strains, and rising crime tied to the influx. Drug deaths from fentanyl and other cartel poison soared. The system was designed to process and release as many as possible, turning the border into a revolving door that rewarded lawbreaking and punished American communities.
April 2026 saw more Border Patrol apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border (8,943) than any month since the Trump administration began. This likely reflects seasonal patterns: migration tends to peak in spring before declining in summer. pic.twitter.com/MRQHpx6DK4
— Adam Isacson (@adam_wola) May 17, 2026
The difference under Trump is policy, not luck. Remain-in-Mexico-style returns, expedited removals, visa pauses from high-risk countries, and relentless pressure on cartels have produced results the previous administration claimed were impossible.
What This Means for Our Nation
National Security: Zero releases means zero new unknown threats quietly dispersed into the heartland. Terror watchlist encounters, which exploded under Biden, are now a fraction of what they were. Cartels can no longer count on easy smuggling lanes. The southern border is no longer a welcome mat for every adversary who wants to test America.
Public Safety and Crime: Fewer illegal entries mean fewer opportunities for gang members, fentanyl traffickers, and repeat offenders to operate inside the U.S. Communities that were ground zero for the Biden surge are seeing measurable relief in everything from retail theft to deadly overdoses.
Fiscal Reality: The endless billions spent on shelters, emergency Medicaid, education, and law enforcement for released migrants are no longer piling up. Taxpayers keep more of their money instead of subsidizing a humanitarian and security disaster.
Rule of Law: When the border is under control and releases stop, the entire immigration system regains credibility. Asylum claims can be processed properly instead of being gamed. Legal immigration regains its value when illegal entry stops being the faster track.
Cultural and Political Impact: The American people see results. The “border chaos” narrative that fueled so much 2024 anger has been replaced by visible enforcement. This strengthens the mandate for further interior removals, E-Verify enforcement, and ending sanctuary policies. It also exposes how much of the previous crisis was deliberate policy, not an act of God.
The Trump administration achieved a full year of zero releases of illegal immigrants into the U.S. following southern border apprehensions, with Border Patrol numbers dropping to their lowest levels in over three decades.
CBP reported 8,943 southwest border apprehensions in… pic.twitter.com/hBngylsaUf
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) May 17, 2026
The contrast could not be clearer. Biden-Harris delivered record chaos, record releases, record costs, and record deaths. Trump delivered record-low crossings, zero interior releases, and a border that is finally functioning as a border again. April’s numbers are just the latest proof that secure borders are achievable when the political will exists. The nation is safer, stronger, and saner because the catch-and-release era is over. The American people demanded this. The results speak for themselves.