The Trump administration notched its latest historic milestone when it comes to border security: for the eighth consecutive month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded zero parole releases.

Figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter show the difference between the Trump and Biden administrations. In one instance, DHS pointed to “209 USBP apprehensions per day on the southwest border in December — 96% lower than the daily average under the Biden administration, and less than the number apprehended every 1.5 hours under the Biden administration.”

That complements the zero parole releases from December 2025, “compared to 7,041 released by the Border Patrol under the Biden administration along the southwest border in December 2024,” DHS noted.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the dedication of DHS law enforcement, America’s borders are safer than any time in our nation’s history. What President Trump and our CBP agents and officers have been able to do in a single year is nothing short of extraordinary,” Noem said. “Once again, we have a record low number of encounters at the border and the 8th straight month of zero releases. Month after month, we are delivering results that were once thought impossible: the most secure border in history and unmatched enforcement successes.”  

Rodney Scott, the commissioner of CBP, added that his department’s “agents and officers have set a new standard for border security, achieving historic results that speak for themselves.”

“The men and women of CBP are demonstrating what’s possible through unwavering commitment and effective enforcement and will continue to ensure the safety and security of our nation’s borders every single day,” Scott added.

As part of the Trump administration’s historic successes at the border, CBP recorded its lowest-ever encounter totals to start the most recent fiscal year. Its 91,603 total encounters to kick off the 2025 fiscal year are 25 percent lower than the previous low of 121,469 from over ten years prior.

The sheer decline in illegal crossings is staggering. The 30,698 total encounters across America in December are 92 percent below the peak of 370,883 in a month during the height of the immigration crisis during the Biden administration, and also mark the lowest total encounters ever in the month of December.

Another lower-profile role of CBP is drug interdiction, and the agency’s numbers under President Donald Trump and Noem from December are staggering. In December alone, CBP seized 39,030 pounds of illicit drugs. Among the totals seized are 865 pounds of fentanyl, 12,833 pounds of methamphetamine, 14,445 pounds of marijuana, 164 pounds of heroin, and 3,793 pounds of cocaine. The Trump administration has taken a whole-of-government approach when it comes to stopping drugs from flooding into America via border crossings.

CBP is also at the forefront of implementing the Trump trade and tariff agenda. It has already implemented almost 50 presidential tariff actions at Trump’s behest. Last month, it processed over $300 billion in imports while also identifying $28.4 billion in duties owed.