DHS and CBP report 16th straight month of zero border releases

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DHS, CBP: zero border releases

Highlights

DHS and CBP report zero border releases for the 16th consecutive month, citing August southwest border apprehensions at 8,870, down 5% from July.
CBP data shows August apprehensions are 94% below the Biden administration monthly average and 97% below the December 2023 peak, with drug seizures up 73% year-over-year.
CBP processes $349 billion in August 2026 imports, identifies $24.6 billion in duties, and issues 5,681 emergency agriculture notifications with 790 civil penalties for violations.

August border metrics and enforcement

As reported by Department of Homeland Security, citing DHS and CBP, the run of zero releases at the border extends to 16 straight months, which the agencies present as evidence that tougher enforcement is reducing illegal crossings. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin says the administration's policies have ended catch and release, while CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott says people who cross illegally are apprehended, detained and removed rather than released into the U.S.

The agencies say Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border total 8,870 in August, down 5% from July. Nationwide apprehensions total 10,939 in August, down 3% from the previous month.

CBP also says southwest border apprehensions in August are 94% below the monthly average under the Biden administration and 97% below the peak reached in December 2023. The agency says Border Patrol releases of illegal migrants remain at zero in August, compared with 10,186 releases along the southwest border in August 2024 under the previous administration.

Drug seizures, trade and agriculture enforcement

Beyond migration enforcement, CBP says it continues to expand interdiction work tied to narcotics, trade compliance and agriculture inspections. The agency says drug seizures through August in the current fiscal year are 73% higher than the same period of FY 2024 and 61% above the average for the last four years over the same span.

CBP says cocaine seizures rise 28% in August 2026 to 6,724 pounds, while fentanyl seizures total 773 pounds. In coordination with ICE, the agency also says it seizes more than 120,000 pounds of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs in August 2026.

On the trade side, CBP says it processes $349 billion in imports in August 2026 and identifies $24.6 billion in duties for collection. The agency also says its agriculture specialists issue 5,681 emergency action notifications for restricted and prohibited plant and animal products, conduct 112,180 positive passenger inspections and issue 790 civil penalties or violations for undeclared prohibited agriculture items.

Our earlier article on House agriculture demand-growth policies outlined how lawmakers are pushing farm-bill provisions, export promotion, and tax measures to expand markets for U.S.-grown products. It also described planned updates such as modernized commodity payments and initiatives like the BioPreferred Program and Wood Innovation Grants aimed at boosting producer income through stronger domestic and overseas demand.

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