Trump tallies third straight month of no catch-and-release at the border

Homeland Security notched its third month in a row where it didn’t catch and release a single illegal immigrant at the border, the department said Tuesday, celebrating new record-breaking achievements.

The Border Patrol recorded just 4,601 arrests along the southern land border in July, breaking the previous record set in June of about 6,100. A year ago at this time, that figure was more than 56,000.

Across all borders, including airports and waterways, Customs and Border Protection recorded just 24,628 unauthorized entries. In July 2024, that figure stood at more than 170,000.

“History made, again. The numbers don’t lie — this is the most secure the border has ever been,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “No more excuses. No more releases. We’ve put the cartels on defense and taken our border back.”

She credited President Trump’s changes, including a border emergency and stiffer interior enforcement, with changing the calculus of would-be migrants and the smuggling cartels that help shepherd them in.

Of the 4,601 migrants nabbed jumping the southern border, about half were put into speedy deportations known as “expedited removal.” Another 1,200 had previous deportation orders that were revived, also allowing speedy ousters.

Some 380 were allowed “voluntary return,” or going back without a formal deportation on their record, and 526 were served immigration court summonses and detained.

Mr. Trump’s border gains cross all demographics.

He has been particularly successful at shutting down illegal immigration from outside Mexico.

In July 2024, under President Biden, more than 60% of the 56,000 illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border were from countries other than Mexico. Last month, that figure was just 33%, out of the much lower total of about 4,600.

And just 452 of them were Unaccompanied Alien Children, down from more than 5,600 a year ago in July and down from the more than 18,000 a month that the Biden team saw several times in its first year in office.

The northern border also remains calm, with Border Patrol agents recording 554 apprehensions, down from more than 3,000 in July 2024.

CBP, in its new monthly data, said seizures of heroin and fentanyl surged by 86% and 30%, respectively.

Mr. Trump’s tariffs are also boosting Uncle Sam’s bottom line, with CBP collecting $140.8 billion in customs duties, taxes and fees since Jan. 20.