Illegal Immigration Is Down, but Fentanyl Seizures Are Up

The swarm of illegal immigrants crossing into the US has come to a near standstill with strict immigration enforcement making it difficult, and in many cases, not worth the risk of trying to migrate. During the Biden administration, there was a record high of at least 14 million known border crossings that resulted in encounters and apprehensions, but there are presumably many more that escaped notice and made their way into America. Officials were kept busy with administrative duties and trying to fast-track people into the country, meaning law enforcement personnel were pulled off other tasks, like catching drug smugglers. Now, though, with more resources devoted to trafficking of all kinds, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have been able to seize more than 100 million lethal doses of fentanyl at the southwest border in just seven months.

Customs and Border Protection Seizures

CBP officials worked 54 ports of entry in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas, and were able to secure more than 100 million doses of fentanyl from October 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026, the first quarter of this fiscal year. This doesn’t even include seizures from other law enforcement agencies during the same time frame. According to CBP data, agents seized 152,000 pounds of methamphetamine in the first quarter as well, which was more than all of fiscal 2025. Another 28,000 pounds of cocaine was seized, also more than FY2025 by 6,000 pounds.

“In the last year, the U.S. experienced a dramatic shift in illegal migration trends, allowing CBP to pivot hundreds of officers and resources to enforcement efforts,” CBP said.

The Biden administration focused on policies that helped facilitate illegal entry into the US such as expanding the parole and other programs that helped to release a lot of unvetted foreign nationals into the nation. “Federal employees from multiple agencies were pulled away from their jobs to process them into the country, reducing the number of agents in the field, including those dedicated to drug interdiction,” The Center Square reported.

New Trends

While it is good news that so much fentanyl and other harmful drugs are being seized before entering the country, the war on drugs is far from over. There are always new ways of smuggling them and new versions of drugs to contend with. Last year, 27 new drugs were identified, including cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid that is up to ten times stronger than fentanyl. “Experts say it is being used as a cutting agent, added to other illicit drugs, without the buyer’s knowledge,” explained PBS.

Another new and dangerous trend is shifting from fentanyl pills to powder. “Fentanyl powder contains more doses by weight than individual tablets,” CBP said. “Doses vary depending on many factors. For powder, doses can vary based on purity and potency, so they are calculated using averages from seized material. One kilogram of powder can be pressed into roughly 75,000 typical fentanyl tablets. CBP assumes one pill is considered one dose.” 

What’s so alarming about this new form is not only its potency, but the fact that it can be hidden so easily. “Fentanyl powder can be hidden in everyday items, mailed in small packages, or transported in bulk shipments,” the agency detailed. Now that migration is down, the cartels have shifted their operations so that instead of brining in people, they are focused on methods to bring in large volumes of drugs, law enforcement told The Center Square.

There are 328 ports of entry in the nation for which the CBP officers are responsible for monitoring. This includes airports, land, and sea. Texas has the most with 32, while California is next with 19. Arizona has ten, and New Mexico has three.

Fentanyl and Overdoses

“Fentanyl is extremely potent and incredibly dangerous. Just 2 milligrams – the size of a few grains of sand – can lead to an overdose,” CBP explained. “More than 90% of interdicted fentanyl is stopped at Ports of Entry (POEs), where cartels attempt to smuggle it primarily in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens.”

In 2025, about 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses, which is around 14% fewer than in 2024. This was the third straight annual drop, “making it the longest decline in decades,” PBS reported.

The record-breaking amount of fentanyl and other narcotics seized this fiscal year shows just how dramatically enforcement priorities have shifted at the border. With fewer resources tied up processing massive waves of illegal immigration, CBP agents have been able to devote more manpower, technology, and attention to stopping traffickers moving deadly drugs into American communities. However, their job is made difficult because cartels continue to adapt their methods, switching to more potent powders and stronger synthetic opioids that are easier to conceal and transport.