U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehensions fell by 81% between January and February 2025, signaling a dramatic shift in immigration enforcement during the first month of President Donald Trump’s return to office. If monthly totals remain consistent, yearly apprehensions could return to levels seen during the Obama and early Trump years, when annual encounters ranged between 300,000 and 500,000.
While the national decline is steep, not all areas of the border have responded equally. The Big Bend Sector, which spans a vast and sparsely populated stretch from Sierra Blanca to Sanderson, saw the smallest decline of any sector along the U.S.-Mexico border — a 71% drop. In February, the sector reported just 165 apprehensions, or an average of six per day. That compares to the San Diego Sector, which averaged 59 apprehensions daily during the same period.
Apprehensions had already been decreasing under the Biden administration since May 2024, but at a much slower rate. The steep drop this year follows the record-setting Fiscal Year 2021, which logged more than 1.65 million apprehensions. That total, while widely cited, includes repeat crossings due to pandemic-era policies that expedited removals, meaning many individuals were counted multiple times.
Border surges in 1986, 2000, and 2021 have all prompted significant shifts in federal immigration policy. This latest decline comes on the heels of campaign promises from both parties to crack down on illegal crossings, with Trump’s messaging about deportations and militarizing the border resonating with a significant share of voters.
What role soldiers may play along the Texas border remains unclear. Though the Big Bend Sector is one of the largest by land area, it sees far less activity than busier regions like El Paso or the Rio Grande Valley.
CBP recently announced plans to close several “soft sided” facilities — temporary processing centers set up during previous surges — as the agency adjusts to the new numbers.
Trump has claimed the current apprehension levels are the “lowest in history.” If February’s trend holds, the total would mark the fewest apprehensions recorded since 1969.
For additional coverage, visit the Big Bend Sentinel.
Texas Reporter 