DHS Reports Record-Low Southwest Border Apprehensions in FY2026 at 98,708

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced preliminary data showing U.S. Border Patrol recorded 98,708 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal year 2026, ending September 30—a 95% drop from annual averages exceeding 1.8 million during the prior administration. Nationwide encounters totaled 379,243, the lowest in agency history and 88% below FY2023 peaks. DHS highlighted the first full fiscal year with zero Border Patrol releases into the U.S. interior, marking the 17th consecutive month of this policy. Drug seizures reached nearly 1 million pounds, up 63% from the prior four-year average, while identified border deaths fell nearly 80%. Officials credited expanded enforcement, asylum restrictions, Mexican cooperation, and infrastructure like 250 miles of new barriers plus Smart Wall projects. CBP data dashboards corroborate monthly southwest apprehensions averaging under 9,000, with September around 8,870. Analysts note the decline accelerated from late prior-term policies but intensified under stricter measures. Historical context shows this as the lowest since the late 1960s under comparable metrics, though not an all-time record when including earlier decades. Spending obligations for barriers totaled $34.3 billion, drawing legal challenges in areas like Big Bend.