White House Press Secretary Says No Illegal Aliens Have Been Released Into U.S. for 14 Straight Months

For years, families wondered if the country could ever secure its southern border. Now, a massive shift in rules has stopped a long-standing practice entirely.

WHAT HAPPENED

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a major milestone in July 2026. She said that for 14 months in a row, the government has released zero illegal migrants into the country.

This policy change started in January 2025. The Trump government ended the old "catch-and-release" system. Under those old rules, people waited inside the US for their court dates.

Instead, the government used walls, faster deportations, and strict rules. These measures kept migrants outside the country while their cases went through court.

FACT BOX

• 14 months: How long the zero-release streak has lasted.
• July 2026: The month this new milestone was reached.
• January 2025: When the strict border policies first took effect.
• Zero: The number of migrants released into the US under catch-and-release during this period.

WHY IT MATTERS

This shift changes how the US handles border rules at its core. Local towns that struggled to house new arrivals are seeing less pressure on their budgets.

But critics argue that keeping migrants out of the US puts people in danger while they wait. It also puts a heavy load on Mexican border cities.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The government plans to keep these strict measures in place. They want to build more walls and speed up deportations even more.

Groups that help migrants are watching closely. They may try to challenge these policies in court.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

• How many migrants are currently waiting in Mexico for their court hearings?
• What is the total cost of keeping these border measures active?
• Are migrants finding new, more dangerous ways to cross without getting caught?

SOURCE NOTE

Source: Fox News briefing report.