U.S. border enforcement posts 14th straight month of zero releases

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U.S. border posts zero releases

Highlights

CBP reports 14 consecutive months of zero releases with June encounters at 31,626, down 4% from May, and southwest border apprehensions at 9,848—94% below the Biden-era average.
June 2026 nationwide drug seizures by weight are up 49% year-over-year, with fentanyl up 42% to 1,072 pounds, heroin up 49% to 68 pounds, and cocaine up 71% to 6,242 pounds.
CBP processes $330 billion in imports and identifies $22.9 billion in duties in June 2026, blocks 372 shipments worth over $38 million for suspected forced labor, and seizes nearly 2 million counterfeit goods valued at over $1.4 billion.

June enforcement results and border trends

As reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency and the Department of Homeland Security say the border records 14 consecutive months of zero releases, alongside historically low illegal crossings and apprehensions. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin says the figures reflect the administration's border security policies, while CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott says enforcement is sustaining deterrence and reducing unlawful entries.

CBP says its nationwide encounters total 31,626 in June, down 4% from May, while U.S. Border Patrol nationwide apprehensions fall 4% to 11,396. Along the southwest border, June apprehensions total 9,848, which CBP says is 94% below the Biden administration's monthly average, 96% below the December 2023 peak, and less than the number apprehended in four days in June 2024.

The agency also says fiscal year-to-date apprehensions along the southwest border through June are 14% lower than the average for a single month across fiscal years 1992 through 2024. CBP adds that daily apprehensions are down 94% from the previous administration and describes current border security conditions as the strongest on record.

Trade, narcotics and economic security operations

Beyond migration enforcement, CBP says June drug seizures rise sharply from a year earlier and from the prior month in several categories. Nationwide seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana combined by weight are 49% higher than in June 2024, while fiscal year-to-date drug seizures through June are 57% above the same period of fiscal 2024.

Fentanyl seizures increase 42% from May 2026 to 1,072 pounds in June 2026, heroin seizures rise 49% to 68 pounds, and cocaine seizures climb 71% to 6,242 pounds. CBP says those interdictions are part of its front-line role in blocking narcotics from entering U.S. communities.

On the trade side, CBP says it processes $330 billion in imports in June 2026 and identifies $22.9 billion in duties for collection. The agency also says it stops 372 shipments worth more than $38 million for potential forced labor violations and seizes nearly 2 million counterfeit goods valued at more than $1.4 billion.

In agriculture enforcement, CBP says its specialists issue 5,677 emergency action notifications in May for restricted and prohibited plant and animal products. The agency also conducts 104,014 positive passenger inspections and issues 748 civil penalties or violations for failures to declare prohibited agriculture items.

Our earlier article on DHS rolling back the 2022 public charge rule explained that the agency rescinded the Biden-era regulation and restored broader USCIS discretion to weigh an applicant’s full circumstances in case-by-case reviews. We also noted the change takes effect on Sept. 18, 2026, alongside updated Form I-485 requirements and stricter documentation standards for immigration benefit applicants.

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