Zero Unauthorized Migrants Released Into US in May, Border Crossings Down 93%

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not release any migrants into the US in May 2025, compared to 62,000 by the Biden administration in May 2024, according to internal CBP data obtained by The New York Post (Lean Right bias).

The Details: CBP reportedly “caught” 8,725 migrants attempting to make unauthorized entries at the southern border in May, a 93% decrease from May 2024, when 117,905 were apprehended. 

For Context: During President Trump’s first term in 2018, he signed an order to end the “catch and release” US migration policy under which CBP would detain migrants and then release them into the US. A few months later, Trump’s administration was ordered by a federal judge to reverse the order. On the first day of his second term, Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to end “catch and release” procedures. A few weeks later, Axios (Lean Left) reported the Trump administration “used the ‘catch and release’ program to free 461 undocumented immigrants from custody since he took office.”

Key Quotes: Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Pete Flores said, “Under the leadership of this administration, CBP has received historic support resulting in another 93% decrease in illegal crossings along the southwest border this month when compared with last year.” National Border Patrol Council president Paul Perez said, “Under the Biden administration, our agents were pulled off the line. We were doing all the processing, detaining, transporting and essentially baby-sitting, the border was wide open.”

How The Media Covered It: The story was widely covered by the right. Most outlets from the right framed headlines and coverage positively, attributing the changes to President Trump’s actions. Straight Arrow News (Center) was the only outlet from the Center that AllSides found coverage from. AllSides did not find coverage from the left.

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission.