Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that June 2025 marked the lowest number of nationwide encounters and apprehensions in the history of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with a total of 25,243 encounters and zero releases of apprehended migrants. This figure reflects a 12% decrease from the previous record low set in February 2025 under President Trump and an 89% reduction from the monthly average between 2021 and 2024.
Nationwide, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions reached an all-time low of 8,039, surpassing the previous record from March 2025. This is a significant drop from June 2024, when 11,414 apprehensions were recorded in just the first three days of the month.
Along the Southwest Border, USBP apprehensions fell to 6,070, a 15% decline from March 2025 and a stark contrast to June 2024, when over 7,000 apprehensions occurred in the first two days.
On June 28, 2025, USBP recorded only 137 apprehensions across the Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in 25 years, underscoring the effectiveness of current policies.
In the final week of June 2025, DHS reported continued low activity, with a 7-day daily average of encounters along the Southwest Border dropping to approximately 200. This is a significant decrease from the 1,150 daily average reported in mid-January 2025 under the Biden administration, representing a nearly 83% reduction in weekly encounter averages.
DHS also reported a 90% reduction in “gotaways”—individuals who evade apprehension—compared to June 2024, with only 986 gotaways recorded from June 1 to June 22, 2025, down from 2,123 in May 2025.
For the second consecutive month, USBP reported zero releases of apprehended migrants, reflecting stricter enforcement, expedited removals, or alternative processing measures.
DHS data further indicates a nearly 50% reduction in both apprehensions and gotaways at the U.S. Southern border from May to June 2025. Apprehensions dropped from 9,577 in May to 5,414 between June 1 and June 22, 2025. From February 1 to June 22, 2025, DHS recorded 37,518 apprehensions, a sharp decline from approximately 600,000 during the same period in 2024 under the Biden administration. Gotaways fell from 94,007 in 2024 to 11,867 in 2025 for the same timeframe, a decrease of over 87%.
DHS reported a 60% drop in gotaways for fiscal year 2024 compared to 2023, with over 685,000 removals and returns completed, the highest since 2010. Encounters between ports of entry along the Southwest Border from May to December 2024 dropped by more than 60%, with November and December 2024 at their lowest since August 2020.
In the first half of January 2025, Border Patrol encounters were nearly 50% lower than in January 2021, with a 7-day daily average of 1,150, remaining below 1,500 for 21 consecutive days in the final days of the Biden administration.
Regarding migrant demographics, DHS data highlights a notable increase in Nepali encounters during President Biden’s tenure, with approximately 9,000 Nepalis recorded in USBP encounters.
In contrast, under the previous Trump administration, 1,850 Nepalis were recorded over four years (2017: 650, 2018: 720, 2019: 340, 2020: 140). In fiscal year 2024, 3,690 Nepalis were recorded, up from 3,140 in 2023, with 740 recorded in October-November 2024 alone (440 in October, 300 in November).
From 2014 to 2022, 5,180 Nepalis were recorded over nine years, compared to 6,830 in just 24 months since October 2022. In fiscal year 2022, 1,490 Nepalis were recorded at the U.S.-Mexico border, up from 420 in 2021. Many paid smugglers thousands of dollars, with some released into the U.S. and others detained or deported.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
