On February 3, 2026, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem met with leaders from the Texas National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) to review operational outcomes along the southern border. Officials reported an average decrease of 84% in encounters, gotaways, rescues, criminal arrests, and assaults on federal agents for fiscal year 2026 to date compared to the same period in fiscal year 2025.
During December 20, 2023, through January 3, 2024—under former President Joe Biden—the USBP Del Rio Sector saw a significant increase in migration at the border. According to DHS accounts, migrants arriving included families with infants who had faced dangerous journeys; there were multiple fatal drownings near Eagle Pass, Texas. The agency also cited reports of sexual abuse and violence against migrants by smugglers and criminals during this time.
“Consequences deter illegal crossings; when aliens know they will be detained at our border instead of being quickly released and paroled, like they were under Joe Biden, the results speak for themselves,” said Secretary Noem. “Thanks to President Donald J. Trump’s leadership and cooperation from state leaders, like Governor Abbott, DHS is no longer in the business of catch and release. For years, millions of undocumented aliens were RELEASED into our country. It turns out we didn’t need new laws to close our border—we just needed a new President.”
Recent data shows that encounters in the Del Rio Sector for fiscal year 2026 have dropped by nearly 90%, while gotaways have decreased by over 90%. Other metrics such as single adult apprehensions fell by more than 80%, criminal arrests dropped by over 70%, rescues declined by more than 90%, and agent assaults fell by nearly 82%.
The area overseen by the Del Rio Sector covers about 245 miles along the Rio Grande River and Lake Amistad at the United States-Mexico border.
Secretary Noem’s visit included a tour along the Rio Grande river using buoys as part of ongoing security efforts. In October 2025 she announced Operation River Wall aimed at increasing security on the river against unauthorized entry. That same month saw an announcement from the Trump administration regarding $4.5 billion allocated for contracts to build a “Smart Wall”—a system combining steel barriers with technology such as cameras and detection equipment—to reinforce defense measures at the southern border.
Records indicate that fiscal year 2025 recorded southwest border apprehensions at their lowest level in over five decades.
