In 2025, encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border fell to their lowest level since 1970
Migrant encounters by U.S. Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border, by fiscal year
Note: Beginning in fiscal 2020, totals combine apprehensions and expulsions into a new category known as encounters. Totals before March 2020 include apprehensions only. Some migrants are encountered more than once.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
In 2025, encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border fell to their lowest level since 1970
Migrant encounters by U.S. Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border, by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Total encounters |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 21,022 |
| 1961 | 21,745 |
| 1962 | 21,103 |
| 1963 | 29,644 |
| 1964 | 32,519 |
| 1965 | 40,020 |
| 1966 | 62,640 |
| 1967 | 73,973 |
| 1968 | 96,641 |
| 1969 | 137,968 |
| 1970 | 201,780 |
| 1971 | 263,991 |
| 1972 | 321,326 |
| 1973 | 441,066 |
| 1974 | 571,606 |
| 1975 | 512,264 |
| 1976 | 607,499 |
| 1977 | 733,193 |
| 1978 | 789,441 |
| 1979 | 795,798 |
| 1980 | 690,554 |
| 1981 | 749,808 |
| 1982 | 745,820 |
| 1983 | 1,033,974 |
| 1984 | 1,058,276 |
| 1985 | 1,183,351 |
| 1986 | 1,615,844 |
| 1987 | 1,122,067 |
| 1988 | 942,561 |
| 1989 | 852,506 |
| 1990 | 1,049,321 |
| 1991 | 1,077,876 |
| 1992 | 1,145,574 |
| 1993 | 1,212,886 |
| 1994 | 979,101 |
| 1995 | 1,271,390 |
| 1996 | 1,507,020 |
| 1997 | 1,368,707 |
| 1998 | 1,516,680 |
| 1999 | 1,537,000 |
| 2000 | 1,643,679 |
| 2001 | 1,235,718 |
| 2002 | 929,809 |
| 2003 | 905,065 |
| 2004 | 1,139,282 |
| 2005 | 1,171,396 |
| 2006 | 1,071,972 |
| 2007 | 858,638 |
| 2008 | 705,005 |
| 2009 | 540,865 |
| 2010 | 447,731 |
| 2011 | 327,577 |
| 2012 | 356,873 |
| 2013 | 414,397 |
| 2014 | 479,371 |
| 2015 | 331,333 |
| 2016 | 408,870 |
| 2017 | 303,916 |
| 2018 | 396,579 |
| 2019 | 851,508 |
| 2020 | 400,651 |
| 2021 | 1,659,206 |
| 2022 | 2,206,436 |
| 2023 | 2,045,838 |
| 2024 | 1,530,523 |
| 2025 | 237,538 |
Note: Beginning in fiscal 2020, totals combine apprehensions and expulsions into a new category known as encounters. Totals before March 2020 include apprehensions only. Some migrants are encountered more than once.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
