Migrant apprehensions at the San Diego border sector have dropped 93 percent compared to the same period last year. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported just 1,793 encounters in the first two months of fiscal year 2026 — down from 24,735 during the same window in 2024.
Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre said the numbers represent the lowest level of activity in the San Diego sector since the 1960s. He credited the decline to policy changes that ended the practice of releasing migrants into the U.S. after they crossed illegally.
The drop in crossings has not slowed drug seizures. Agents in the sector have confiscated 970 pounds of methamphetamine, 555 pounds of cocaine, and 113 pounds of fentanyl so far in fiscal 2026. The San Diego sector set a record in fiscal 2025 with 11,311 pounds of methamphetamine seized.
For people who cross the border regularly between San Diego and Tijuana — commuters, expats, and weekend visitors — the shift means shorter wait times at ports of entry on most days.
The trend is mirrored nationally. Pew Research reported a sharp nationwide decline in border encounters across all sectors.