CBP Says It’s Nearing ‘Operational Control’ of Border as Apprehensions Drop 93 Percent

The drop occurred as the Trump administration tightened border security and immigration enforcement measures.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch on the arm of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Mission, Texas, on July 1, 2019. Loren Elliott/Reuters

Apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the U.S. border fell 93 percent in April compared to the same month last year, according to data released May 12.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Border Patrol agents apprehended 8,383 illegal immigrants in April compared to 128,895 in April 2024.

Of the 8,383 apprehensions, only five were allowed to temporarily enter the United States for special interest court cases, CBP stated. That is in contrast to the 68,000 released into the country in April 2024.

“For the first time in years, more agents are back in the field—patrolling territories that CBP didn’t have the bandwidth or manpower to oversee just six months ago,” acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times.

“But thanks to this administration’s dramatic shift in security posture at our border, we are now seeing operational control becoming a reality—and it’s only just beginning.”

The agency also highlighted its joint immigration operation in Florida in late April, in which state and federal law enforcement arrested 1,120 criminal illegal immigrants in a week.

In April, seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana increased by 15 percent compared to the month before. Methamphetamine seizures alone increased 30 percent, and more than 750 pounds of fentanyl were stopped from entering the United States.

CBP was also involved in processing more than $284 billion in imported goods. In total, the agency has collected $37.9 billion in tariff revenue since Jan. 20.

CBP agents also flagged 140 shipments on the suspicion that they carried goods—primarily from China’s Uyghur Autonomous Region—made with forced labor. The shipments were valued at $3.56 million.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a May 5 statement on the social media platform X, “If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest.”

She noted the financial assistance offered to illegal immigrants through the CBP Home app for those willing to self-deport: “This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens, and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers.”

The DHS told The Epoch Times via email on April 22 that thousands of illegal immigrants have already registered with the app to self-deport.

DHS deputy secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that those still in the country are required to use the app to schedule their departure or face penalties.

“This includes a fine of $998 per day for every day that the illegal alien overstayed their final deportation order,” McLaughlin said.