U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehensions dropped 81% between January and February 2025, marking a dramatic shift in the first month of President Donald Trump’s return to office. If monthly figures remain steady, annual totals could return to levels seen during the Obama and early Trump administrations, when yearly apprehensions ranged between 300,000 and 500,000.
While overall numbers are plummeting, the Big Bend Sector — covering the remote stretch from Sierra Blanca to Sanderson — saw the smallest percentage change among all sectors, with a 71% decline. February brought just 165 apprehensions to the sector, averaging six per day. In contrast, San Diego averaged 59 apprehensions daily.
The drop follows a broader trend of declining encounters that began under President Joe Biden in May 2024, though at a slower pace. Fiscal Year 2021 still holds the record for CBP apprehensions at 1.66 million, though experts caution that repeat crossings inflated that number under COVID-era policies.
Trump’s campaign rhetoric centered on mass deportation and a militarized border approach, a message that resonated with about half the electorate. His administration has not yet clarified the role of military personnel reportedly being deployed to areas like Big Bend.
CBP also announced closures of some temporary “soft sided” processing facilities built during previous surges.
For full coverage, see the Big Bend Sentinel article.
