WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security released its latest “Border Brief” factsheet, highlighting the success of the Trump administration’s border security policies one year after President Trump took office. At the beginning of fiscal year (FY) 2026, from October through December 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 91,603 nationwide encounters, over 76% fewer than those recorded from October through December 2024 under the Biden administration (392,196). This marks the lowest start to a fiscal year on record.  

Since day one, President Trump has executed a whole-of-government effort to bolster our border wall system, end catch-and-release, disrupt criminal cartels, and support the work of law enforcement to reverse the Biden border crisis. Nationwide border encounters fell 62% in December compared to January 2025, and Southwest border apprehensions fell over 77% compared to January 2025.  
 

“The Trump administration and House Republicans made a promise to secure our borders and protect our communities from dangerous criminals and deadly drugs. One year later, it’s clearer than ever that enforcing our laws and providing the resources needed to continue that enforcement has helped make historic strides in securing the homeland––and this is only the beginning,” said House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY). “As the new year begins, this Committee looks forward to ensuring that resources provided by Congress continue to empower our Border Patrol agents and CBP officers to carry out their core missions and continue building long-term resilience at our borders.”  

“Thanks to the hard work of federal law enforcement and the strong border security policies President Trump has enacted since day one, 2025 was a monumental year for protecting our communities,” said Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS). “A secure border is a victory for all Americans. I am proud of the work we have done on the Homeland Security Committee to support DHS’s mission through the  Reconciliation Bill in 2025, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside the Trump administration to ensure future generations benefit from the progress we are making today.” 

CBP nationwide border encounters in December (30,698) decreased by over 91% compared to December 2023 (FY2024), the  record-high for  monthly encounters  under the previous administration. U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions between ports of entry at the Southwest border last month (6,478) decreased 86% compared to last December (47,320), FY25, revealing the Trump administration’s surge in resources and increase in enforcement measures over the past year have successfully reduced human smuggling at our Southwest border and disincentivized unlawful entry.  

The Trump administration has also continued its work to end the Biden administration’s era of catch-and-release for good, with December marking eight consecutive months of zero parole  releases by USBP. For comparison, the Biden administration released more than 7,000 inadmissible aliens along the Southwest border in December 2024 alone. 

Nationwide in December, CBP seized 39,030 pounds of illicit drugs, helping to save countless Americans from their deadly effects. With secure land borders, transnational criminal networks have shifted to our maritime borders, with  80% of drugs seized en route to America interdicted at sea. The dedicated men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) seized nearly 510,000 pounds of cocaine in FY2025 in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.  

This week, the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement convened a  hearing to discuss CBP’s use of non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology at the nation’s borders, a critical tool to help detect and interdict illicit drugs, concealed currency, contraband, and individuals being smuggled across the nation’s borders. In July 2025, President Trump signed into law House Republicans’ reconciliation package, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which included more than $1 billion for this technology.

In addition to this technology, as of January 2026, CBP has now awarded contracts for the construction of 587 miles of border barrier, including traditional smart wall, water barriers, and secondary walls, using this reconciliation funding. 

Read the full factsheet here.

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