Fewer illegal migrants crossed the border in one month under Trump than in one hour during Biden admin

Nypost · May 18, 2026 · 423 words · By Chris Nesi

Political Comparison (Trump vs Biden) Illegal Immigration Border security

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What to know about Political Comparison (Trump vs Biden)

Fewer migrants were nabbed at the southern border on an average day in April than made it across during a typical hour in December 2023 — a time when hundreds were sneaking into the US daily under former President Joe Biden’s lax immigration enforcement…

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 5

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

The shocking revelation comes as the Trump administration notches 12 straight months without a single illegal immigrant released at the US border, with crossings plummeting to levels not seen since the early 1990s.

Common ground

“Twelve straight months of ZERO releases at the border.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Political Comparison (Trump vs Biden) story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that With daily apprehensions down 95% from the previous administration and 15 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions?
How does this story connect Political Comparison (Trump vs Biden) with Illegal Immigration over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/18/us-news/fewer-migrants-crossed-border-in-one-month…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 100% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 90% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 90% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Glittering Generalities 80% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Misleading Statistics 80% confidence

Presenting real numbers in a deceptive way (wrong base rate, cherry-picked timeframe).

Why it matters: Recognizing misleading statistics helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

schedule Pending 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

cancel Disputed 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “With daily apprehensions down 95% from the previous administration and 15 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions”

DISPUTED

There is a contradiction in the number of consecutive months. Two sources claim '13 consecutive months' of fewer than 9,000 apprehensions, while the claim states '15 consecutive months'.

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web search NEUTRAL — “With daily apprehensions down 95% from the previous administration and 13 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions, the border remains secure than at any point in history…
https://thedailybs.com/2026/03/20/low-illegal-border-crossin…

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web search NEUTRAL — With daily apprehensions down 95% from the previous administration and 13 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions, the border remains more secure than at any point in his…
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/03/success-dhs-celebra…

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web search NEUTRAL — Southwest border apprehensions were 94% lower than under Biden.Total U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border during all of this fiscal year through April were 37% lower than just o…
https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/05/15/exclusive-trump-…

schedule

Claim 2: “methamphetamine seizures rose 63%”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “According to DHS, the average number of daily border apprehensions in April (298) was less than a single hour in December 2023, when a staggering 336 people were picked up each and every hour.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources explicitly cite the DHS figures: 298 average daily apprehensions in April versus 336 average hourly apprehensions in December 2023.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Two shutdowns of the U.S. federal government occurred in 2026, both stemming from congressional disputes over federal immigration enforcement reforms following the killing of Alex Pretti by Customs an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_federal_gov…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Emirati dirham (symbol: ; currency code: AED; ;) Arabic: درهم إماراتي, abbreviation: د.إ in Arabic, Dh; is the official currency of the United Arab Emirates. The dirham is subdivided into 100 fils…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates_dirham

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States secretary of homeland security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the federal department tasked with border control, counterterrorism and other aspects…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Hom…

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 4: “The agency also seized 463 pounds of fentanyl in April alone.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “Apprehensions at the border last month under the Trump administration... are down 94% from Biden administration peak levels.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report that apprehensions in April were 94% lower than the monthly average under the Biden administration.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The immigration policy of the Biden administration initially focused on reversing many of the immigration policies of the previous Trump administration and expanding legal pathways. It later focused …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_policy_of_the_Bide…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American retired politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he represente…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The illegal migration of people into the United States across the Mexico-United States border has caused an ongoing migrant crisis. U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump both referred to surge…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico–United_States_border_cr…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 6: “Heroin seizures spiked 73% compared with March 2026”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.

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Claim 7: “the Trump administration notches 12 straight months without a single illegal immigrant released at the US border”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including a report citing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, confirm the milestone of 12 straight months with zero releases at the border.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — From 13 to 15 May 2026, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, made a state visit to China. This visit was Trump's second state visit to China, and the first to occur during his first presi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_state_visit_by_Donald_Tru…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kai Madison Trump (born May 12, 2007) is an American social media personality. A member of the Trump family, she is the eldest child of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Pergolizzi and the eldest grandchil…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Trump

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donald Trump's second and current tenure as the president of the United States began upon his inauguration as the 47th president on January 20, 2025. Trump, a Republican, previously served as the 45th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_presidency_of_Donald_Tr…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 8: “crossings plummeting to levels not seen since the early 1990s”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While some sources mention record lows, the specific claim that crossings have plummeted to levels 'not seen since the early 1990s' is not explicitly confirmed by the provided evidence; one source mentions a 37% drop compared to the average of FY 1992-2024, but not that they are the lowest since then.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — us is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States. It was established in February 1985. Registrants of us domains must be U.S. citizens, residents, or organizations – or f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.us

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Us, us, uS, or US commonly refers to: Us (pronoun), the objective case of the English first-person plural pronoun we U.S., an abbreviation for the United States Us, us, uS, or US may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 9: “Fiscal year to date, total US border patrol apprehensions along the southern border have slid to the lowest monthly average since 1992, according to DHS.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence mentions the lowest total number of apprehensions since 1970 (NEPYORK) and a 37% drop compared to the average of 1992-2024, but does not specifically confirm the 'lowest monthly average since 1992' as a distinct DHS report.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Border Patrol agents at the Southern Border recorded fewer than 9,000 apprehensions each month over President Donald Trump’s first eight months back in office for his second term. In July, they hit a …
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/most-secure-border-in-american…

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web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is more serious than ever about enforcing the United States' border and immigration rules. From last week's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) warning t…
https://www.aol.com/articles/face-consequences-u-department-…

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web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have announced preliminary data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, reporting the lowest total number of U.S. Border …
https://nepyork.com/2025/10/07/border-apprehensions-hit-55-y…

help

Claim 10: “Nationwide in April, CBP seized 60% more cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl compared to April 2024.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.

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Claim 11: “Fewer migrants were nabbed at the southern border on an average day in April than made it across during a typical hour in December 2023”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources report that DHS stated the April daily average of 298 apprehensions was lower than the average hourly rate of 336 in December 2023.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — .xxx is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) intended as a voluntary option for pornographic sites on the Internet. The sponsoring organization is the International Foundation for Online Responsibility…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.xxx

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days. April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — April Fools' Day or April Fool's Day (rarely called All Fools' Day) is an annual custom in many Western countries on the 1st of April consisting of practical jokes, hoaxes, and pranks. Jokesters often…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools'_Day

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 12: “unlike April 2024 when more than 68,000 were released under President Biden”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report the contrast between zero releases in the current month and more than 68,000 releases in April 2024 under President Biden.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into our country again this month, unlike April 2024 when more than 68,000 were released under President Biden.
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/05/16/as-trump-hit…

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web search NEUTRAL — The fiscal-year comparison is just as stark. DHS said total Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border through April of the current fiscal year were 37 percent lower than the average month…
https://www.todayville.com/what-a-difference-america-an-enti…

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web search NEUTRAL — "The U.S. Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into our country again this month, unlike April 2024 when more than 68,000 were released under President Biden.
https://www.mixedtimes.com/politics/trump-hits-dramatic-mile…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.