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The United States closed December 2025 with historic lows in migration encounters at its borders and recorded eight consecutive months without releasing migrants, under the security policy promoted by Donald Trump, according to official data from Border Patrol.
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported this Friday that December 2025 confirmed an unprecedented trend of decline in irregular crossings, both on a monthly basis and at the start of the fiscal year 2026 (from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026), under the immigration policies of the Republican administration.
According to the official statement, between October, November, and December, there were 91,603 migration encounters nationwide, the lowest figure ever reported for the start of a fiscal year and 25% lower than the previous record set in 2012.
In the southwest of the country, the Border Patrol reported 21,815 arrests during the first fiscal quarter, a 95% decrease compared to the average recorded during the administration of Joe Biden (2021-2025).
In December alone, there were 30,698 encounters nationwide, representing a 92% drop compared to the peak reached under the previous government.
In the southwest border, there were 6,478 arrests recorded, averaging 209 people per day, figures that, according to CBP, are less than what was recorded in just four days in December 2024.
The Department of Homeland Security also highlighted that, for the eighth consecutive month, no migrants were released under parole programs, in contrast to the 7,041 released in December 2024.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, described the results as "extraordinary" and affirmed that the U.S. border is now "the safest in history."
Authorities also highlighted an increase in drug seizures. During December, CBP confiscated 39,030 pounds of narcotics, including 865 pounds of fentanyl, over 12,800 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 3,800 pounds of cocaine, which the Government presented as a central part of its national security strategy.
In parallel, the agency emphasized its role in implementing the tariff policy of the White House. Just in December, it processed imports valued at $314 billion and identified $28.4 billion in owed tariffs.
Between January and December, total revenue from fees, taxes, and charges exceeded 297 billion.
The report comes amid a general tightening of immigration policy, which includes economic incentives for the voluntary departure of undocumented immigrants and an official discourse of "zero tolerance."
While the Trump administration presents the figures as proof of effectiveness, human rights organizations have warned about the coercive nature of these measures and their impact on vulnerable communities.
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