WASHINGTON D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported a significant downturn in attempted border crossings along the U.S. Southern border, attributing the steep decline to targeted immigration enforcement operations recently launched in Los Angeles. According to data released by the department, overall apprehensions and what the agency terms “gotaways” have collectively fallen by nearly 50% between May and June 2025.
The operation, focused on identifying and apprehending individuals described by DHS as “criminal illegal aliens,” commenced in Los Angeles on June 6, 2025. It involves personnel from key DHS components, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Analyzing Recent Border Encounter Data
The department’s statistics highlight a marked shift in the frequency of encounters at the border following the initiation of the Los Angeles enforcement effort. From June 1 to June 22, 2025, total apprehensions recorded stood at 5,414. This figure represents a substantial decrease when compared to the 9,577 apprehensions reported by U.S. Border Patrol during the full month of May 2025.
In addition to apprehensions, the number of individuals estimated to have evaded apprehension, referred to by DHS as “gotaways,” also saw a considerable reduction. According to the department’s figures, there were 986 “gotaways” recorded during the June 1-22 period, down from 2,123 in May 2025.
DHS officials explicitly linked these declining figures to the expanded enforcement presence, particularly citing the impact of operations conducted within urban centers like Los Angeles, a city known for its “sanctuary” policies regarding immigration enforcement cooperation with federal authorities.
Longer-Term Trend Comparison
The department further provided a comparative analysis spanning a longer timeframe, contrasting recent encounter numbers with those from the previous year. For the period between February 1 and June 22, 2025, DHS reported a combined total of 37,518 apprehensions and 11,867 “gotaways” along the Southern border.
This five-month period in 2025 shows significantly lower numbers when compared to the same timeframe in 2024. During the February 1 to June 22 period of 2024, which occurred under the Biden Administration, DHS statistics indicate nearly 600,000 apprehensions and over 94,007 “gotaways.”
These comparative figures, as presented by DHS, underscore a dramatic difference in the scale of border encounters year-over-year during these specific periods.
Official Stance and Future Implications
In conjunction with releasing the data, DHS issued a strong statement regarding the impact of their enforcement actions, particularly in areas previously considered less cooperative with federal immigration efforts. The department asserted that “Sanctuary cities are no longer a safe haven,” signaling a continued intent to conduct enforcement operations in such jurisdictions.
The statement reiterated the department’s commitment to removing individuals who are deemed “criminal illegal aliens,” emphasizing that these targeted operations are part of a broader strategy to enhance national security and enforce immigration laws.
The operation in Los Angeles, and the subsequent reporting of reduced border encounters, comes amid ongoing national debate over immigration policy, border security, and the role of local jurisdictions in federal enforcement efforts. The reported data provides key metrics that supporters of stricter enforcement policies are likely to cite as evidence of the effectiveness of proactive operations within the U.S. interior.
However, analyzing the precise causal link between specific interior enforcement actions, such as those in Los Angeles, and overall border encounter numbers requires careful consideration of numerous potential contributing factors, including seasonal variations, economic conditions, policies in transit countries, and other enforcement efforts along the border itself. DHS’s direct correlation between the Los Angeles operation and the broader drop represents the agency’s interpretation of the data.
As the enforcement operation in Los Angeles continues and the summer months progress, observers will be closely watching whether the trend of decreased border encounters persists and how future DHS reports characterize the ongoing impact of these targeted actions on overall migration patterns towards the U.S. Southern border.
