Border Security Shifts: Enhanced Enforcement Under Trump Administration Leads to Significant Drop in Illegal Crossings
San Diego — A notable shift in border security strategies following the transition from President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump has empowered U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents to implement stricter enforcement measures, according to a high-ranking official overseeing a critical sector along the southern border.
Jeffrey Stalnaker, acting Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector, emphasized the transformative change in approach. "We have changed from a posture of catch-and-release to providing maximum consequences to the greatest extent possible for anyone and everyone who crosses," Stalnaker told Fox News Digital. This statement highlights a deliberate departure from previous practices, signaling a commitment to deterring illegal immigration through rigorous enforcement.
The shift in enforcement priorities coincides with a dramatic decrease in border apprehensions. CBP data reveals that border apprehensions in February reached a near 25-year low, while encounters with illegal migrants plummeted to approximately 30,000 in February. This figure stands in stark contrast to the same period in 2023 and 2024, when encounters exceeded 130,000.
Stalnaker attributes this marked improvement in border security to the policies and directives implemented by the new administration. He specifically highlighted the shift from a "catch and release" approach, where apprehended migrants were processed and released with a notice to appear in court, to a strategy of maximizing consequences for illegal border crossers.
"Once the new administration came in, we are able to exercise and provide consequences to the greatest extent, which then gets [illegal migrants] either jail time and/or provide them a repatriation to the country where they began their journey to the United States," Stalnaker explained. He contrasted this with the previous practice of "catch and release," where migrants were apprehended, processed at "soft site" facilities, and subsequently released with a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
"The change now is we catch them, still take them to our soft side facility, however they are not being released, we are trying to find every consequence possible and deliver that consequence to them," Stalnaker emphasized, underscoring the administration’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for violating immigration laws.
The deployment of U.S. military forces to the border further contributes to the enhanced border security posture, Stalnaker noted. Hundreds of personnel from the Marines, Army, and Navy have been stationed in the San Diego sector since Trump assumed office, providing crucial support to CBP agents.
"We also have our DOD partners with us here," Stalnaker said. "They’re a great partner, we enjoy having them out here, and the help they’re providing to us assists us with our mission."
Nearly 500 Marines, operating under Task Force Sapper, have been deployed to the San Diego sector to reinforce existing border barriers. Their efforts include adding razor wire to enhance the barrier’s effectiveness.
Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, commanding officer of Task Force Sapper, explained the Marines’ role in bolstering border security. "We are the engineers that are conducting the construction down on the southern border in order to reinforce the existing primary and secondary barrier that exists in the San Diego sector," Barrion told Fox News Digital. He highlighted the creation of an "obstacle that disrupts any type of activity that tries to cross over the top or through the barrier," providing border patrol agents with increased reaction time.
In addition to the Marines, companies of Army engineers and military police officers from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, have been deployed to the San Diego sector to provide surveillance and detection support. This increased presence provides CBP agents with enhanced situational awareness and enables them to respond more quickly to illegal border crossings.
The collective efforts of CBP agents, military personnel, and other federal, state, and local partners have created a comprehensive border security strategy that Stalnaker describes as an "all-hands-on-deck approach."
"It’s a force multiplier, it assists us to accomplish our mission," Stalnaker said. "And it’s not just DOD, there are additional federal partners, state and local partners, we have extremely good partnerships here in the San Diego sector that act as force multipliers. And it’s that whole og government approach that it takes for us to accomplish our mission."
The implementation of stricter enforcement policies, coupled with the deployment of military resources and collaborative efforts among various agencies, has led to a significant reduction in illegal border crossings in the San Diego sector. The shift from a "catch and release" approach to one that emphasizes consequences for illegal immigration has been cited as a key factor in this positive development.
