Under Trump, border catch-and-release has dropped 99.99% from worst Biden month
Stark Contrast in Border Policy Outcomes
The differences in border management between President Biden and President Trump are profoundly illustrated by two critical figures: 189,604 and 20. The former represents the number of illegal immigrants that were apprehended and then released into the U.S. in December 2023, during a peak period of what many are calling the Biden border crisis. The latter number reflects the drastically reduced count of similar incidents in February, under Trump’s stringent border policies.
The Impact of Catch-and-Release Policies
For years, Border Patrol agents have consistently pointed out that the policy of catch-and-release has been a significant magnet for illegal immigration. Migrants, understanding that they could potentially live and work in the U.S., would often pay substantial sums to smugglers to facilitate their journey. However, under Trump’s administration, the likelihood of being released after capture has plummeted from 778 per 1,000 border crossers in December 2023 to just 2 per 1,000 in February.
Comments from an Expert
Andrew “Art” Arthur, a former immigration judge and current member of the Center for Immigration Studies, praised Trump’s approach. “This is what it looks like when it’s properly implemented,” he stated. “The more people that you detain, the fewer people are going to come, which means the fewer people you have to detain and the more detention space you have to detain everybody.”
President Trump’s Remarks on Border Security
President Trump recently highlighted the effectiveness of his border policies, noting, “Nobody’s coming through our border practically.” He detailed a specific instance where only nine individuals were allowed entry for urgent medical reasons. Trump emphasized that the border security was operating at 99% efficiency under his watch.
Detailed Dispositions and Demographics
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In February, the Border Patrol managed to process nearly all of the 8,346 individuals they apprehended. Excluding the 20 who were released, 451 were voluntarily returned, 745 were detained with notices to appear in court, 1,793 had prior deportation orders reinstated, and 4,811 were transferred to other federal agencies, likely including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE’s actions included issuing notices to appear to most, and paroling 559 individuals based on urgent humanitarian needs or specific governmental requirements. The demographic of those caught at the border has also shifted back to a majority of Mexicans, a pattern reminiscent of earlier immigration trends before the surge from Central America.
Additional Observations
The number of family units and unaccompanied minors apprehended has dropped to about 15%, the lowest since the pandemic began. Furthermore, the need for search and rescue operations has significantly decreased, reflecting the reduced flow of individuals. Notably, there were no terrorist suspects detected in February and March, a stark contrast to the average of 10 per month under Biden from 2022 to 2024.
The cost for smugglers has also seen fluctuations. Mexicans are now paying between $7,000 and $15,000 depending on the region, indicating a dynamic and changing landscape for border smuggling activities.
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