Corruption Chronicles
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March 26, 2026
Proving that the famous saying coined by the Mexican farm worker labor movement of the 1960s—and later adopted by Barack Obama—can apply to the once seemingly impossible task of securing the border, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals that for 10 consecutive months no illegal immigrants have been released into the United States. It is cause to celebrate considering during the Biden administration a record-breaking 7.6 million illegal aliens entered the country, including hundreds of thousands with serious criminal records and more than 1.7 million from countries that DHS determined pose a national security threat to the U.S. In about a year the Trump administration has turned it around, establishing that, “Si se puede” (yes we can), as the renowned labor leader Cesar Chavez, recently exposed for raping and sexually abusing girls and young women in his movement, shouted during marches. Decades later Obama adopted the three-word phrase, until then best known as the rallying cry for Chavez’s United Farm Workers, as his presidential campaign slogan.
The adage comes to mind because the Biden administration falsely claimed the unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants could not be contained as millions fled hardships at home and therefore the border could not be properly secured. The latest figures released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the frontline DHS agency, contradict that narrative and demonstrate that federal authorities can indeed secure the once-porous 1,954-mile border we share with Mexico. The records show not only a trend of historically low border crossings but also record high drug seizures. In fact, in February CBP recorded the most drug seizures in more than four years (79,609 pounds), which marks an 84% increase from the previous month. Released just days ago, the statistics go through February. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott says they are a “clear reflection of the enforcement-first posture restoring integrity to our nation’s borders.” He added that while threats to economic and national security evolve so does the Trump administration’s resolve to meet them.
The sustained decline in illegal border crossings and apprehensions is the lowest in over three decades, CBP confirms, demonstrating the impact of robust enforcement policies. Daily apprehensions are down an extraordinary 95% from the Biden administration with 13 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions, which means the region is more secure than at any point in history. Last month CBP encountered 26,963 illegal immigrants, marking an 88% decline in the monthly average under Biden. Additionally, CBP’s total encounters of 153,155 this fiscal year are 40% lower than just the month of February 2024 under Biden. “The U.S. Border Patrol’s apprehensions along the southwest border in February (6,603) were 92% lower than the monthly average over the last 33 years and 97% below the peak of the Biden administration (December 2023),” the latest DHS figures show. The number of daily Border Patrol apprehensions in February were less than a single hour during the height of the Biden administration when 336 illegal immigrants were arrested per hour in December 2023. This clearly shows “we have the most secure border in American history,” according to CBP.
Drug interdictions are also a major part of border security since CBP is responsible for preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching American communities. Under Biden tens of thousands of pounds of illicit drugs flowed over the border. Under Trump the record February drug seizures include a 129% increase in marijuana, 67% increase in fentanyl, 46% increase in methamphetamine and 39% increase in cocaine seizures over the previous month. Agents also seized 10% more heroin over January. CBP also helped safeguard the American economy by targeting forced labor and counterfeit goods, stopping 266 shipments valued at more than $11 million for potential forced labor violations. Over 440 shipments containing counterfeit goods valued at more than $580 million were also seized and hundreds of civil penalties were issued for undeclared prohibited agriculture items. This is all part of President Trump’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative launched last March to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, eliminate drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect American communities from perpetrators of violent crime.
