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Rep. Pfluger's Statement on FY25 Southwest Border Apprehensions Hitting Lowest Level in Half a Century

WASHINGTON, DC — The House Committee on Homeland Security released its latest “Border Brief” factsheet, detailing the Trump administration’s continued success in securing the border in September and throughout the entirety of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.

In response, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, released the following statement applauding record low apprehensions and the most secure border in history:

"After four years of the Biden-Harris Administration's disastrous open-border agenda and reckless catch-and-release policies, the American people are finally seeing a return to law and order at our southern border," said Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11). "Thanks to the strong leadership of the Trump Administration, our borders and our homeland are more secure today than they have been in years. This year, House Republicans have also delivered real solutions at the border by passing legislation that invests in cutting-edge technology, modernizes critical equipment, and expands the Border Patrol workforce to protect the homeland from nefarious actors. I look forward to continuing this mission on the House Homeland Security Committee and building on this historic success to keep our borders and communities safe for years to come."

Read the full "Border Brief" from the House Committee on Homeland Security HERE.

Full background and key facts from the House Committee on Homeland Security:

In September, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported only 8,386 U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions between ports of entry at the Southwest border—an 84% decrease compared to one year prior under the Biden-Harris administration. Additionally, in September 2025, nationwide border encounters (144,666) dropped more than 82% compared to last year. 

The Trump administration’s strong enforcement of the law at our nation’s borders and House Republicans’ historic reconciliation investments are disincentivizing human and drug smuggling across our borders. In FY 2025, which includes data from October 2024 through September 2025, USBP apprehensions at ports of entry along the Southwest border (237,538) reached the lowest level since 1970. For comparison, there were 1.6 million illegal crossings in FY 2021, President Biden’s first fiscal year as president. 

After four years of the Biden-Harris administration’s catch-and-release policies, September marked the fifth month in a row where USBP released zero illegal aliens into our communities. To help agents maintain control in the field, DHS awarded contracts to build 230 miles of border barrier, including technology to modernize the barrier system, thanks to Homeland Republicans’ investments in the July reconciliation package.

Meanwhile, federal law enforcement faced increased threats in September. On September 24, a gunman fired indiscriminately on a Dallas, Texas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility and tragically took the lives of two individuals in custody. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE personnel are facing an 8,000 percent increase in death threats. 

In response, Chairman Pfluger co-led a resolution to condemn the increase in violence against ICE agents. Read more about the resolution HERE.

Key Facts:

·     FY2025 closed on a strong note, with 79 percent fewer Southwest border encounters than FY2024. U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions between ports of entry at the Southwest border in FY25 (237,538) hit the lowest level since 1970.

·     In September, CBP nationwide border encounters decreased 82 percent compared to September 2024.

·     In September, Southwest border encounters decreased 88.6 percent (101,790 vs 11,647) compared to last September. 

·     USBP apprehensions between ports of entry at the Southwest border in September (8,386) decreased 84.4 percent compared to September 2024 (53,858). 

·     CBP encounters of inadmissible aliens at the Northern border dropped nearly 74 percent in September 2025 (4,436) compared to September 2024 (17,127). 

·     In September, for the fifth month in a row, zero inadmissible aliens were released by Border Patrol into American communities.