DHS reports record-low U.S. border crossings in fiscal 2026

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Record-low U.S. border crossings 2026

Highlights

U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 98,708 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal 2026, a 95% decline from the previous 1.8 million annual level under the Biden administration.
CBP obligated $34.3 billion for Smart Wall infrastructure projects and completed 250 miles of new border barriers along the southwest border from January 20, 2025, to September 2026.
Fiscal 2026 drug seizures reached nearly 1 million pounds, 63% higher than the prior four-year annual average, while counterfeit goods seizures exceeded $12.6 billion in value.

Fiscal 2026 enforcement results and infrastructure push

As reported by Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 98,708 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal 2026, a 95% drop from the more than 1.8 million annual level cited for the Biden administration. The agency says total nationwide encounters fell to 379,243, the lowest in its history, while September marked the 17th straight month with zero releases.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin says the data reflects the effect of stronger enforcement, while CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott says the results show what focused operations and frontline staffing can deliver. The department also says deterrence has reduced illegal entry attempts, with preliminary figures showing border-related deaths identified by the Border Patrol down nearly 80% in fiscal 2026 and since January 20, 2025, compared with the Biden administration.

CBP says it completed 250 miles of new border barrier along the southwest border since January 20, 2025, including primary and secondary barriers, waterborne barriers and related technology. From September 2025 through September 2026, the agency says it obligated $34.3 billion for Smart Wall projects across all southwest border states, backed by funding from the Working Families Tax Cut Act.

Trade, drug interdiction and operational impact

Beyond migration enforcement, CBP says fiscal 2026 drug seizures totaled nearly 1 million pounds, 63% above the 600,000-pound annual average of the previous four years. The agency says it is using nonintrusive inspection systems and intelligence-led tactics to target finished narcotics as well as precursor chemicals, tools and pill presses.

On the trade enforcement side, CBP says it stopped more than 4,000 shipments worth over $325 million that were suspected of involving forced labor, while issuing eight Withhold Release Orders and two modifications. The agency also says it seized nearly 55.5 million counterfeit goods valued at more than $12.6 billion, including 476,903 items tied to FIFA World Cup intellectual property worth over $33 million.

CBP adds that personnel continued responding to emergencies during the year, including search-and-rescue operations and medical interventions nationwide. Its Office of Field Operations says it handled more than 3,000 medical emergencies in fiscal 2026, performed CPR on more than 50 people in cardiac arrest and administered Naloxone in suspected opioid overdoses.

In our earlier coverage of rising sovereign borrowing risks in a higher-rate environment, we explained how prolonged geopolitical tensions and elevated fiscal spending can strain public finances and refinancing capacity. We noted that emerging and frontier markets are especially exposed because debt-servicing costs often consume a larger share of tighter revenue bases, while energy and food price shocks linked to major conflicts can keep inflation and funding costs elevated.

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