Staff Reports
The Department of Homeland Security just handed the Biden-era talking points a rude surprise. DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that Border Patrol has recorded 13 straight months of “zero releases” of migrants apprehended at the southwest border. The White House press account cheered the milestone, and the administration is treating it as proof that strong enforcement works.
What DHS actually announced
The agency release says Border Patrol recorded 13 consecutive months with zero immediate releases after apprehension at the southwest border. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt amplified the claim and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin celebrated the result, calling it the end of “catch and release.” CBP reported 9,998 Border Patrol apprehensions for May — a figure the administration says is far below the monthly averages under the previous administration.
Numbers behind the claim: fewer crossings, bigger seizures
The DHS statement pairs the “zero releases” streak with big drops in apprehensions and higher drug interdiction numbers. The administration says May apprehensions are down roughly 94 percent versus the Biden-era monthly average, and points to historic lows not seen in about three decades. At the same time, CBP reports drug seizures are up: combined seizures of cocaine, meth, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana rose about 32 percent versus May 2024, and fentanyl seizures jumped sharply — 795 pounds seized in May, per the agency.
The fine print: what “zero releases” does — and does not — mean
Let’s be clear about the metric. “Zero releases” refers to Border Patrol not releasing migrants directly into the U.S. interior right after initial apprehension. It does not mean literally zero people enter the country. Some migrants avoid detection (“gotaways”), others may later be transferred to ICE custody and released on bond or parole, and administrative policy choices about parole can move people in or out of this tally. Those caveats matter for accurate reporting, but they do not erase the operational change Border Patrol is reporting.
Why this milestone matters — and why critics will complain anyway
This matters because it shows what happens when the federal government chooses enforcement over permissive policy. Democrats spent years insisting mass releases were inevitable. The Trump administration says otherwise: firm border policy, more deterrence and higher deterrence at the southwest border produce far fewer daily encounters and more drug seizures. Critics will point to technicalities and exceptions. Fine. But rhetoric does not reduce fentanyl or stop illegal crossings — enforcement does. If you care about law, order and citizen safety, this is the kind of result worth celebrating and building on.
