Illegal Immigration in America 2026
Illegal immigration has remained one of the most politically charged and closely watched issues in the United States heading into 2026. Over the past year, the country has witnessed a dramatic reversal in border crossing trends, driven by sweeping policy changes introduced by the Trump administration following January 2025. What was once a near-record tide of unauthorized entries at the Southwest border has fallen to the lowest levels ever recorded in modern American history. Federal agencies — primarily U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — have released a steady stream of enforcement data that paints a picture of extraordinary change in a very short span of time. For anyone trying to understand where illegal immigration in the US actually stands right now, the numbers tell a story that surprises people on both sides of the debate.
Understanding the full scope of unauthorized immigration in America requires looking beyond just border apprehension figures. The total undocumented immigrant population, ICE detention numbers, deportation rates, drug seizures tied to border activity, and the profile of who is actually being arrested and removed — all of these dimensions form a complete picture. In 2026, the data reveals a country running the most aggressive immigration enforcement operation in its history, with ICE removals on pace to shatter all prior annual records, detention facilities holding more people than at any previous point, and monthly border encounters running at levels not seen since the early 2000s. This article pulls together the latest verified statistics from official U.S. government sources to give you the most accurate, up-to-date snapshot available.
Key Interesting Facts: Illegal Immigration in the US 2026
FAST FACTS AT A GLANCE — US ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 2026
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Border Encounters (Dec 2025) ██ 30,698 nationwide
Peak Biden Admin (Nov 2023) ████████████████████████████████ 370,883
ICE Detainees (Jan 2026) ████████████████████ ~73,000
ICE Detainees (Jan 2025) ██████████ ~39,700
ICE Removals FY2025 ████████████████ 319,980
ICE Removals FY2024 █████████████ 248,739
UACs Apprehended FY2024 ████████ ~100,000
UACs Apprehended FY2026 pace █ ~6,840
Scale: Each █ ≈ ~11,000 people
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All-time lowest monthly southwest border apprehensions ever recorded | 4,592 (July 2025) | CBP / U.S. Border Patrol |
| Total CBP nationwide encounters — entire first quarter FY2026 (Oct–Dec 2025) | 91,603 | DHS / CBP |
| Previous record low for same first-quarter period | 121,469 (FY2012) | CBP |
| Percentage drop in SW border crossings vs. Biden admin monthly average | 95% lower | CBP |
| ICE detention population — January 2026 | ~73,000 (record high) | ICE / CBS News |
| ICE detention population — January 2025 | ~39,700 | ICE |
| ICE removals — Full FY2025 (Oct 2024–Sep 2025) | 319,980 | ICE / TRAC |
| ICE removals — FY2024 (full year) | 248,739 | ICE |
| ICE removals — First 6 months FY2026 (Oct 2025–Apr 2026) | 234,236 | ICE |
| Projected FY2026 full-year removals at current pace | 460,000+ | ICE data / analysis |
| Undocumented immigrant population (Pew Research, July 2023 estimate) | ~14 million | Pew Research Center |
| Undocumented population growth 2021–2023 | +3.5 million | Pew Research Center |
| Fentanyl seized at southwest border — FY2024 | 21,148 lbs | CBP |
| Fentanyl trafficking at southern border drop since Jan 2025 | down 56% | DHS |
| UAC (Unaccompanied Alien Children) apprehended — FY2024 | ~100,000 | CBP |
| UAC apprehensions FY2026 pace (Feb–Nov 2025) | ~6,840 projected | CBP / CIS analysis |
| Detainees with no criminal conviction — Nov 2025 | 73.6% of total | TRAC |
| Detainees with no criminal conviction — Apr 2026 | 70.8% of total | TRAC |
| Consecutive months of zero USBP releases into US interior | 8 months (as of Dec 2025) | DHS / CBP |
| DEA fentanyl pills seized since Jan 20, 2025 | ~44 million pills | DOJ / DEA |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Pew Research Center; TRAC Reports; U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
The table above pulls together the most critical figures defining illegal immigration enforcement in the United States in 2026. The numbers underscore a fundamental shift: monthly southwest border apprehensions that were routinely exceeding 150,000 to 370,000 during the height of the Biden administration have collapsed to figures that look more like a quiet Tuesday in 2002 than any month in recent memory. The all-time record low of 4,592 apprehensions set in July 2025 is not just a statistical milestone — it represents a border that enforcement agencies describe as functionally secured, at least in terms of raw crossing volume.
At the same time, the interior enforcement picture is equally striking. ICE detention reaching 73,000 individuals in January 2026 — an 84% increase over the same time in 2025 — reflects a deliberate expansion of detention capacity and enforcement reach well beyond the border itself. The fact that over 70% of ICE detainees have no criminal conviction is one of the most discussed data points in current immigration policy debate, drawing criticism from civil liberties organizations while defenders of the policy argue that unauthorized presence itself is a violation of U.S. law. Both the scale and the pace of change in these numbers are without modern precedent.
Monthly CBP Border Encounter Trends in the US 2026
MONTHLY US BORDER PATROL APPREHENSIONS — SW BORDER 2025
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(Southwest Border Between Ports of Entry)
Jan 2025 ███████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 29,105
Feb 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 8,347
Mar 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~9,500 (est.)
Apr 2025 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~8,000 (est.)
May 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 8,725
Jun 2025 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~6,000 (est.)
Jul 2025 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4,592 ← ALL-TIME LOW
Aug 2025 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~5,200 (est.)
Oct 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 7,989
Nov 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~7,000 (est.)
Dec 2025 ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 6,478
[COMPARE] Biden Admin Monthly Avg ████████████████████████████ ~155,000
[COMPARE] Biden Admin Peak (2023) ████████████████████████████████████ 370,883
Scale: Each █ ≈ ~9,000 apprehensions
| Month / Period | Southwest Border USBP Apprehensions | Nationwide Encounters | % Change vs. Prior Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | ~251,178 (total nationwide encounters) | 251,178 | — |
| January 2025 | 29,101 | ~61,000+ | −71% vs. Jan 2024 |
| February 2025 | 8,347 | ~12,000 | −94% vs. Feb 2024 |
| May 2025 | 8,725 | ~29,000 | −93% vs. May 2024 |
| July 2025 | 4,592 (all-time record low) | ~6,500 est. | Record low |
| October 2025 | 7,989 | 30,573 | −79% vs. Oct 2024 |
| November 2025 | ~7,000 (est.) | ~30,132 | Record low Nov |
| December 2025 | 6,478 | 30,698 | −86% vs. Dec 2024 |
| Q1 FY2026 Total (Oct–Dec 2025) | 21,815 | 91,603 | −95% vs. Biden admin Q1 avg |
| Biden Admin Monthly Average (Feb 2021–Dec 2024) | ~155,485 (SW encounters) | ~185,000+ | — |
| Biden Admin Peak | ~370,883 (Nov 2023) | 370,883 | — |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official monthly statistics; U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press releases
The monthly encounter data tells the single most dramatic story in US immigration statistics 2026. What the numbers show is a near-total collapse in illegal crossings over the course of 2025, with the trajectory going almost entirely in one direction — downward. The February 2025 drop of 94% versus February 2024 was at the time considered extraordinary, but by the summer months, the all-time record low of 4,592 apprehensions in July 2025 made even those figures look elevated. The Southwest border, which had been processing an average of over 155,000 encounters per month during the Biden administration, recorded just 21,815 total apprehensions for the entire first quarter of FY2026 — a figure that is 95% lower than the quarterly average under the prior administration.
What makes the December 2025 figure of 6,478 southwest border apprehensions especially significant is the context: this was the 8th consecutive month in which U.S. Border Patrol released zero individuals into the United States interior. Every single person apprehended was processed and either removed or detained — a policy standard that the current administration says has been a central driver of deterrence. As CBP Acting Commissioner Pete Flores noted after the May 2025 statistics were released, the 93% year-over-year drop in illegal crossings reflects a combination of enforcement pressure, bilateral cooperation with Mexico, and a shift in perception among would-be migrants that the pathway to remaining in the US has effectively closed.
ICE Detention Statistics in the US 2026
ICE DETENTION POPULATION — MONTHLY COMPARISON 2025 vs. 2026
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2025 (same month) 2026 (current)
Jan ████████░░░░░░░░░░ ~39,700 → ████████████████████ ~73,000
Nov ████████████░░░░░░ ~60,000 → ████████████████████ 65,135
ICE DETENTION BY CRIMINAL HISTORY (November 2025)
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No Criminal Conviction ████████████████████████████████░░░░ 73.6% (47,964 people)
Criminal Conviction ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 26.4%
ICE DETENTION BY CRIMINAL HISTORY (April 2026)
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No Criminal Conviction ████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░ 70.8% (42,722 of 60,311)
Criminal Conviction ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 29.2%
| Metric | Data Point | Comparison / Context |
|---|---|---|
| ICE detention population — January 2026 | ~73,000 | Record high ever recorded by ICE |
| ICE detention population — January 2025 | ~39,700 | Pre-surge baseline |
| Year-over-year increase (Jan 2025 → Jan 2026) | +84% | Near doubling in 12 months |
| ICE detention population — November 2025 | 65,135 | Up from ~59,762 in late Sep 2025 |
| Detainees with no criminal conviction — Nov 2025 | 47,964 (73.6% of total) | TRAC analysis of ICE data |
| Detainees with no criminal conviction — Apr 2026 | 42,722 (70.8% of 60,311) | TRAC data current as of Apr 4, 2026 |
| New bookings into ICE detention — March 2026 | 32,531 | ICE arrested 29,606; CBP arrested 2,925 |
| Administration’s stated detention capacity target | 100,000 | DHS public statements |
| Primary state for ICE detention — FY2026 | Texas | ICE facility data, Apr 2026 |
| Net increase in detained individuals with no criminal history during govt shutdown | 97% of net increase | TRAC Reports |
Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official statistics; TRAC Reports (Syracuse University); CBS News government data; U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The ICE detention numbers in 2026 represent a transformation of the immigration enforcement system that is hard to overstate. At ~73,000 individuals in January 2026, the detention population had grown by 84% in a single year — from roughly 39,700 in January 2025 — and former senior immigration officials have stated publicly they were not aware of any prior period in American history when the federal government had held more people in immigration detention at one time. The Trump administration has been explicit about its ambitions, targeting a detention capacity of 100,000 individuals, and the infrastructure buildout to reach that figure has been underway since early 2025. Texas continues to house the largest share of detainees among all states, reflecting both geography and the availability of contracted private facilities in the state.
The breakdown of who is being detained is equally significant. TRAC Reports analysis of ICE’s own data shows that as of April 4, 2026, 70.8% of all ICE detainees — 42,722 out of 60,311 — have no criminal conviction. This figure was even higher at 73.6% in November 2025. The American Immigration Council has further reported that in 2025, more than one in three people deported from detention had no criminal record whatsoever — no pending charges and no prior conviction. The Trump administration and its supporters counter that unauthorized presence in the US is itself a violation of federal law, making the “no criminal record” framing misleading in their view. This debate over who is being targeted sits at the center of the legal and political battles currently working their way through U.S. federal courts.
ICE Removal and Deportation Statistics in the US 2026
ICE ANNUAL REMOVALS — FISCAL YEAR COMPARISON
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FY2024 █████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 248,739
FY2025 ████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 319,980 (+29% vs FY2024)
FY2026* ████████████████████████████ 460,000+ (projected at current pace)
* FY2026 first 6 months (Oct 2025–Apr 2026): 234,236 removals
ICE DAILY REMOVAL RATE — FY2026
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Oct–Dec 2025 █████████████░░ ~1,250–1,300/day
Late Jan 2026 ████████████████ 1,456/day ← peak
Feb–Apr 2026 █████████████░░ ~1,266–1,286/day average
Compared to same period FY2024–FY2025: ~730/day average
| Period | ICE Removals | Daily Average | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 (full year) | 248,739 | ~682/day | — |
| FY2025 (full year, Oct 2024–Sep 2025) | 319,980 | ~877/day | +29% vs. FY2024 |
| FY2025 — Biden portion (Oct 2024–Jan 20, 2025) | ~85,769 | — | — |
| FY2025 — Trump admin portion (Jan 20–Sep 30, 2025) | ~234,211 | — | — |
| FY2026 — First 6 months (Oct 2025–Apr 4, 2026) | 234,236 | ~1,286/day | +74% vs. same FY2025 period |
| FY2026 — Same period FY2024 comparison | vs. 133,803 | — | +75% increase |
| Peak daily removal rate FY2026 | — | 1,456/day (late Jan 2026) | Record pace |
| FY2026 projected full-year total | 460,000+ | ~1,260/day | ~45% more than FY2025 |
| ICE monthly deportations from detention (2025 pace) | 30,000+/month | — | American Immigration Council |
| Self-deportations claimed by DHS (first 200 days of Trump admin) | ~1.6 million | — | DHS / USCIS administrative data |
Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; TRAC Reports (Syracuse University); U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS); American Immigration Council
ICE removal statistics for FY2026 are on a trajectory with no modern parallel. Through the first six months of FY2026 (October 2025 through early April 2026), ICE carried out 234,236 removals — a 74% increase over the same period in FY2025, and a 75% increase over the same window in FY2024. At the current daily pace of approximately 1,266 removals per day, the agency is projected to exceed 460,000 total removals for FY2026 — nearly double the FY2024 annual figure and 45% more than FY2025. The peak removal rate of 1,456 per day hit in late January 2026 remains the highest sustained pace in recent history. In FY2025, ICE removed 319,980 individuals for the full year — already a 29% jump over FY2024’s 248,739. In total, the Trump administration’s deportation output during Trump’s second term through early April 2026 stood at approximately 290,603 documented ICE removals, with DHS separately claiming that ~1.6 million individuals self-deported in the first 200 days of the administration.
The composition of who is being removed has been a source of sustained controversy. The American Immigration Council’s analysis of ICE data released through the Deportation Data Project found that in 2025, more than one out of three deportees had no criminal record at all. Among those with a criminal conviction, the majority — 64% — had nothing more serious than a misdemeanor. Just 2% of deportees were tagged as suspected gang members in ICE data, and only 0.4% were flagged as “known or suspected terrorists” — figures that directly contradict administration messaging. The administration has designated organizations like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua as terrorist groups, which affects how certain individuals are classified. Regardless of how one interprets the criminal history data, the sheer volume of removals now being processed — 30,000+ individuals deported from detention per month — signals an enforcement infrastructure operating at a scale that is genuinely unprecedented in the history of American immigration enforcement.
Undocumented Immigrant Population Estimates in the US 2026
UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANT POPULATION — ESTIMATE COMPARISON 2026
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DHS (2022, official) ██████████░░░░░░░░░░ ~11.0 million
Pew Research Center (2023) ████████████████░░░░ 14.0 million (record high)
CMS — Center for Migration ████████████░░░░░░░░ 12.2 million (2023)
FAIR (2025 estimate) ████████████████████ 18.6 million
CBO projection (net 2021–26) ██████████░░░░░░░░░░ 9.9 million net new entries
UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION TREND (Pew)
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2007 (peak) ████████████████████████████ 12.2 million
2017 ████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░ 10.5 million
2021 ████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░ 10.5 million
2023 ████████████████████████░░░░ 14.0 million ← New record
| Source / Estimate | Year of Estimate | Population Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHS Office of Homeland Security Statistics | 2022 | ~11 million | Official government residual method |
| Pew Research Center | July 2023 (latest ACS data) | 14 million | Record high; incorporates revised Census Bureau migration data |
| Center for Migration Studies (CMS) | 2023 | 12.2 million | Independent research estimate |
| Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) | Early 2025 | 18.6 million | Higher estimate; combines visible and “gotaway” populations |
| Congressional Budget Office (CBO) | 2024 projection | 9.9 million net new entries (2021–2026) | Flow figure, not stock estimate |
| Pew — Population growth 2021–2023 | — | +3.5 million | Driven by Biden-era arrivals |
| Undocumented with some deportation protection (2023) | 2023 | ~6 million (40% of 14M) | Includes DACA, TPS, parole recipients |
| Protections revoked in 2025 (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela parolees) | 2025 | 500,000+ | Trump admin rescission |
| TPS protections expired — Venezuelans | 2025 | 350,000 | DHS action |
| TPS protections expired — Haitians | 2025 | 350,000 | DHS action |
| DHS claim: individuals who “left” the US (first ~200 days of Trump admin) | 2025 | ~2 million total (incl. ~1.6M self-deported) | DHS administrative flow data; not a stock estimate |
Source: DHS Office of Homeland Security Statistics; Pew Research Center (August 2025 report); Center for Migration Studies; Congressional Budget Office; Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR); U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
The question of how many undocumented immigrants live in the United States remains genuinely contested, with estimates in 2026 ranging from roughly 11 million in official DHS methodology to as high as 18.6 million in the FAIR estimate. The most widely cited independent benchmark is the Pew Research Center’s August 2025 report, which used the 2023 American Community Survey to conclude that the unauthorized immigrant population reached a record high of 14 million in July 2023 — up from 10.5 million in 2021, driven by a +3.5 million surge over just two years during the Biden administration. The Center for Migration Studies arrived at a lower figure of 12.2 million for 2023 using similar but not identical methodology, while FAIR, using a different approach that attempts to account for “gotaway” crossers not captured in survey data, reached 18.6 million for early 2025.
What makes the 2026 picture particularly complex is the ongoing policy dismantling of deportation protections. In 2023, approximately 6 million undocumented individuals — 40% of the estimated total — had some form of protection from removal, including DACA recipients, TPS holders, and those granted humanitarian parole. The Trump administration has systematically revoked many of these protections: 500,000+ Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela parolees had their status rescinded, and TPS protections for 350,000 Venezuelans and 350,000 Haitians were allowed to expire. This means a vastly larger share of the undocumented population now has no formal buffer between their status and potential removal — a reality reflected in the surging ICE detention and deportation figures documented throughout this article.
Drug Seizures and Border Security in the US 2026
FENTANYL SEIZED AT US BORDERS — ANNUAL FIGURES
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FY2022 ████████████░░░░░░░ 14,104 lbs
FY2023 ████████████████████ 26,718 lbs ← peak
FY2024 █████████████████░░░ 21,148 lbs (SW border)
Jan–Mar 2026 ███░░░░░░░░░░░ 2,900 lbs (+19% vs same period 2025)
FENTANYL AT SW BORDER: WHERE IT'S FOUND
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Ports of Entry (legal crossings) ████████████████████████░░░░░░ ~92%
Border Patrol between ports ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~8%
Canadian border (share of total) ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0.2%
DEA SEIZURES (Jan 20, 2025 – Jul 2025)
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Fentanyl pills ████████████████████ ~44 million pills
Fentanyl powder ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4,500 lbs
Methamphetamine ████████████████████ ~65,000 lbs
Cocaine ████████████████████ ~201,500 lbs
| Drug / Seizure Metric | Figure | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fentanyl seized — Southwest border FY2022 | 14,104 lbs | FY2022 | CBP |
| Fentanyl seized — Southwest border FY2023 | 26,718 lbs | FY2023 (peak year) | CBP |
| Fentanyl seized — Southwest border FY2024 | 21,148 lbs | FY2024 | CBP / FactCheck.org |
| Total fentanyl seized nationwide FY2024 | 21,889 lbs | FY2024 | CBP |
| Fentanyl from Canadian border — FY2024 | 43 lbs (0.2% of total) | FY2024 | CBP |
| Fentanyl from Mexican border — FY2024 | 21,148 lbs (96.6% of total) | FY2024 | CBP |
| Fentanyl seized — Jan–Mar 2026 | 2,900 lbs | Q1 2026 | USAFacts / CBP |
| Jan–Mar 2026 vs. same period 2025 | +19% | Year-over-year | USAFacts / CBP |
| Fentanyl trafficking at southern border since Jan 2025 | down 56% | Jan 2025–Aug 2025 | DHS |
| Share of fentanyl seized at ports of entry (Jan–Mar 2026) | 82.9% | Q1 FY2026 | USAFacts / CBP |
| Fentanyl as share of all opioid seizures by weight (2025) | 87.8% | FY2025 | USAFacts / CBP |
| Fentanyl as share of all opioid seizures by weight (2019) | 32.2% | FY2019 | USAFacts / CBP |
| DEA fentanyl pills seized (Jan 20–Jul 2025) | ~44 million pills | First half 2025 | DOJ / DEA |
| DEA fentanyl powder seized (Jan 20–Jul 2025) | 4,500 lbs | First half 2025 | DOJ / DEA |
| DEA methamphetamine seized (same period) | ~65,000 lbs | First half 2025 | DOJ / DEA |
| DEA cocaine seized (same period) | ~201,500 lbs | First half 2025 | DOJ / DEA |
| Total CBP drug seizures in August 2025 | 55,000+ lbs | Aug 2025 | DHS / CBP |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drug seizure statistics; U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) / U.S. Department of Justice; USAFacts immigration data portal; American Immigration Council fentanyl fact sheet
Drug seizures at the US border in 2026 reflect a pattern that is somewhat counterintuitive given the dramatic drop in unauthorized crossings. Fentanyl remains by far the dominant concern, now accounting for 87.8% of all opioid seizures by weight — up from just 32.2% in 2019. The critical and often misunderstood fact embedded in the data is that approximately 82.9% of all fentanyl seized at US borders is intercepted at official ports of entry — not between the ports, and not from unauthorized crossers wading across the Rio Grande. The vast majority of fentanyl smuggling is carried out through legal crossing points, largely by individuals — many of them U.S. citizens — concealing the drug in vehicles. This has major implications for how the fentanyl threat should be understood in relation to illegal immigration statistics, since tighter border controls between ports of entry do not necessarily address the primary smuggling pathway. The 0.2% share attributable to the Canadian border further illustrates how concentrated this particular threat is on the Southwest border’s legal infrastructure.
The DHS claim that fentanyl trafficking at the southern border dropped 56% since January 2025 tracks with data showing reduced smuggling activity overall, though the American Immigration Council has noted that the primary driver of declining fentanyl seizures may be reduced domestic demand — CDC data through November 2024 showed overdose deaths dropping in virtually every state — rather than border enforcement alone. The DEA’s aggressive interior enforcement since January 2025 has complemented border operations: 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, and approximately 201,500 pounds of cocaine were seized in just the first six months under the new administration. Total CBP drug seizures surpassed 55,000 pounds in August 2025 alone — the third-highest monthly total under the second Trump administration — demonstrating that even as migrant crossings have plunged, narcotics interdiction activity has remained robust.
Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Statistics in the US 2026
UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN CHILDREN (UAC) — SW BORDER APPREHENSIONS
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FY2022 ████████████████████████████████ 145,000+
FY2023 ████████████████████████████████ 131,500+
FY2024 ████████████████████████░░░░░░░░ ~100,000
FY2025 ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~13,000 (est. full year)
FY2026 pace ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~6,840 (projected)
Scale: Each █ ≈ ~4,500 UAC apprehensions
MONTHLY UAC APPREHENSIONS — TRUMP II vs. PEAK BIDEN
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Peak Biden Month (Mar 2022) ████████████████████████████ ~19,000
Monthly avg FY2026 pace ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~570
| Period / Fiscal Year | UAC Southwest Border Apprehensions | Context |
|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | ~145,000 | Record high at the time |
| FY2023 | ~131,500 | Second-highest year on record |
| FY2024 | ~100,000 | Third consecutive elevated year |
| Peak single month (March 2022) | ~19,000 | All-time monthly record |
| FY2026 pace — Feb through Nov 2025 | ~5,700 total (570/month) | On track for ~6,840 full-year FY2026 |
| Projected FY2026 full-year total | ~6,840 | ~93% below FY2024 |
| Share of FY2024 UACs from non-contiguous countries | ~87%+ | Primarily El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras |
| Share of SW border apprehensions that are single adults (Nov 2025) | 85%+ | CBP / CIS analysis |
| Share of SW border apprehensions that are Mexican nationals (Nov 2025) | 67.4% | CBP / CIS analysis |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) analysis of CBP data
Among all the illegal immigration statistics in the US for 2026, the collapse in Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) apprehensions stands out as one of the most significant humanitarian and enforcement developments. At their FY2022 peak, Border Patrol apprehended over 145,000 unaccompanied children at the Southwest border — a figure that generated massive operational strain and intense political debate about processing conditions, sponsor placement failures, and child welfare. In FY2023 and FY2024, the numbers remained extremely elevated at 131,500 and ~100,000 respectively. The scale of what was happening was simply without precedent in modern U.S. border history, with the peak month of March 2022 seeing nearly 19,000 UAC apprehensions — compared to the current pace of roughly 570 per month in the FY2026 data. That is a drop of approximately 97% from the monthly peak.
The composition of who is currently crossing has also shifted substantially. In November 2025, nearly two-thirds of all Southwest border apprehensons — 67.4% — were Mexican nationals, who can typically be processed and returned in roughly eight hours under existing legal frameworks. More than 85% of apprehensions were single adults, which is far easier for agents to process and remove than family units or UACs. The 87%+ share of FY2024 UACs who came from non-contiguous countries — primarily El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras — required far more complex legal processing than Mexican nationals. The current shift toward Mexican single adults in the apprehension mix is one reason why enforcement throughput has improved even as raw encounter numbers have dropped. The combination of deterrence, zero releases into the interior, and the changed composition of crossers has effectively transformed the operational environment at the US-Mexico border compared to just 18 months ago.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
