U.S. Border Patrol recorded fewer than 550 known got-aways nationwide during the first 14 days of September, putting the daily average below 40. The figure represents a 98.5% decline from daily peaks of more than 2,000 in 2023, when more than 400,000 known got-aways were recorded during the first six months of the fiscal year.

A “got-away” is someone Border Patrol identifies as having illegally crossed the border, but who was not apprehended. Agents identify crossings through direct observations, surveillance cameras, aircraft, reports from the public and “sign-cutting,” which involves looking for evidence of a recent crossing.

The sharp decline comes as the Trump administration has tightened enforcement along the southern border. DHS and Customs and Border Protection announced this week that the administration had recorded 16 consecutive months without releasing migrants at the southwest border to pursue asylum claims. CBP also reported historically low border crossings and apprehensions.

The changes are being felt in border communities as well. Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe said his deputies have encountered only two smuggling cases on county roads since January, compared with the frequent smuggling activity and high-speed pursuits seen during the height of the border crisis.

“Our deputies have only encountered two smuggling cases on our roadways since January. It’s an unbelievable change, and one we’re happy with,” Coe said.

In Eagle Pass, Texas, Assistant Police Chief Beto Garza said encounters with illegal border crossers have fallen to occasional small groups. He pointed to the large law-enforcement presence in the area, including Border Patrol and Texas authorities operating under Operation Lone Star.

Border Patrol agents in Douglas, Arizona, are also encountering smaller groups than during the height of the crisis, when groups of more than 100 were routinely reported. A recent attempted smuggling operation involving multiple vehicles was detected before the vehicles could enter the country, according to a CBP source.

The decline in known got-aways comes alongside a much larger increase in border enforcement manpower. CBP announced in June that the Border Patrol had reached 21,271 agents, giving the agency more personnel to patrol the border and respond to attempted crossings.