By Naveen Athrappully

Border Patrol released no illegal immigrants into the country in May, a “staggering drop” from the more than 62,000 illegal immigrants whom Border Patrol was “forced to release along the southwest border” during the same period in 2024, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a June 17 statement.

Border Patrol encountered just 8,725 illegal immigrants crossing the southwest border in May, down from 117,905 illegal immigrants encountered in May 2024.

“Under the leadership of this administration, CBP has received historic support resulting in another 93 percent decrease in illegal crossings along the southwest border this month when compared with last year,” acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said.

“Border numbers continue to trend at historic lows, reinforcing the sustained success of our enforcement efforts in securing the homeland and protecting American communities.”

CBP’s total nationwide encounters, including at ports of entry, averaged roughly 952 per day in May, which is the “second lowest average daily number of CBP encounters in history,” according to the agency.

Drug seizures were up in May, with 19 percent more cocaine and 191 percent more heroin seized last month than in April.

In a June 18 post on social media platform X, border czar Tom Homan praised the Trump administration for bringing down the number of illegal immigrants released into the United States.

He said Border Patrol had encountered only 95 illegal aliens along the entire southern border in the past 24 hours, the “lowest number ever recorded.”

“Compare that to the Biden Administration who surpassed more than 10,000 per day,” he said.

“To continue this great work and make it more permanent, we need the Big Beautiful Bill passed so we can finish the job, to include the biggest deportation operation the American people voted for. God bless the men and women of CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. President Trump is the Game Changer.”

The Republican-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” includes several provisions to boost border security and strengthen immigration processes.

This includes $50 billion in funding to renew the construction of the southern border wall and $4 billion to onboard 5,000 new customs officers and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents.

The bill was passed narrowly in the House of Representatives by a vote of 215–214. It now needs to be passed by the Senate before President Donald Trump’s final approval.

Tackling Illegal Immigration

Since assuming office, Trump has taken several steps to tackle the illegal immigration crisis.

The president has signed orders to end the catch-and-release of illegal immigrants and refugee resettlement and build a border wall. He declared a national emergency, allowing the military and National Guard personnel to build barriers and complete the wall along the United States’ border with Mexico.

On April 11, Trump issued a memorandum authorizing the military to take control of a strip of land along the southern border to counter illegal immigration.

“Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats,“ Trump wrote in the memo. ”The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past.”

The president’s move to tackle illegal immigration has faced opposition. Since earlier in June, Los Angeles and other places in Southern California have seen multiple protests against the administration’s immigration policies. Some of these protests have devolved into riots.

In a June 16 X post, California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Trump of seeking to trigger violence to gain power. Newsom’s statement came after Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to do “all in their power” to deliver the “single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”

“His plan is clear: Incite violence and chaos in blue states, have an excuse to militarize our cities, demonize his opponents, keep breaking the law, and consolidate power,“ Newsom said. ”It’s illegal and we will not let it stand.”

On June 17, the Pentagon said it will deploy up to 700 military personnel in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas to assist the states with immigration, in support of the president’s call to expand the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.