The Department of Homeland Security reported record-low border encounters in October, the first month of fiscal year 2026.
Preliminary data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection released Wednesday indicated the lowest October crossing levels on record and the sixth consecutive month of zero releases by the U.S. Border Patrol.
“History made: the lowest border crossings in October history and the sixth straight month of ZERO releases. This is the most secure border ever,” said Kristi Noem, secretary of homeland security and a 2025 Wash100 Award winner. “Thank you, President Trump and our brave DHS law enforcement. You make America proud!”
Noem is the opening keynote speaker at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12. The event will feature networking opportunities with prominent government and industry leaders, as well as discussions on homeland security threats and initiatives. Do not miss the highly anticipated event — purchase your tickets today, before they sell out!
What Do the Latest CBP Border Numbers Show?
According to DHS, there were 30,561 total encounters nationwide in October, a 29 percent decrease from the previous record low of 43,010 recorded in fiscal year 2012 and 79 percent lower compared to the same month in 2024. CBP data also showed fewer total encounters over the past nine months under President Donald Trump than the average single-month record during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.
For the sixth month in a row, no individuals apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol were released into the United States. All apprehended individuals were processed according to law.
Daily apprehensions along the Southwest border averaged 258 per day, a 95 percent decrease compared to the 5,110 daily average from 2021 to 2024.
“Our mission is simple: secure the border and safeguard this nation,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. “And that’s exactly what we are doing. No excuses. No politics. Just results delivered by the most dedicated law enforcement professionals in the country. We’re not easing up — we’re pushing even harder.”
In October, DHS announced that it had made over 515,000 deportations and 485,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants under the Trump administration. The agency also revealed that over 2 million undocumented immigrants have left the U.S. since January.
Related Articles
U.S. Space Operations Command, or SpOC, has been redesignated as U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, aligning the organization’s name with its mission to develop combat-ready space forces for the U.S. and its allies. Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon assumed leadership of the newly redesignated command in early November. As commander, Gagnon will oversee over 12,000 guardians and airmen focused on generating and sustaining combat-ready space control, global operations and combat service support forces. The change underscores the Space Force’s growth as a warfighting service dedicated to achieving and maintaining space superiority. What Are the Priorities of USSF Combat Forces Command?
The U.S. Army is testing artificial intelligence-aided target recognition as part of its Next Generation Command and Control, or NGC2, prototype, a move aimed at speeding up decision-making and fire missions on the battlefield, Breaking Defense reported Thursday. “We’re using the aided target recognition capability that we’ve built out to say, ‘That’s a tank.’ We spent the last week training the AI models to recognize what we would call hulks out in the impact area — old vehicles that we shoot at — and we’re training [it to say] ‘That thing, I think that’s the tank,’” Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis,
The Department of the Treasury has launched a department-wide audit of contracting activity valued at approximately $9 billion, focusing on potential misuse of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program and other preference-based federal contracting initiatives. Announced on Thursday, the investigation covers all contracts and task orders issued across the agency and its bureaus, particularly those with preferential status, which may have allowed large companies to exploit “pass-through” arrangements. The scheme allows a small, eligible business to retain fees for minimal participation while subcontracting nearly all the actual work. What Prompted the Treasury Investigation? The audit follows the department’s