The US border should never had gotten as bad as it was. But thanks to the Democrats, it did.
And now a Border Patrol official came clean about an uncomfortable truth.
Border Patrol Morale Soars Under New Leadership
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, speaking on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” on Wednesday, expressed unprecedented enthusiasm among agents, stating that morale is “going through the roof” under the Trump administration.
Banks, a former Border Patrol agent and Texas’ border czar since 2023, credited the shift to a renewed focus on law enforcement.
“We’ve had the handcuffs taken off,” he said, emphasizing that agents are now empowered to fulfill their core mission. “Under this administration, they have literally taken the handcuffs off and allowed us to enforce law instead of policies that were created to contradict the law and so our morale has continued to rise.”
This surge in morale follows a challenging period under the Biden administration, during which Banks noted a “mass exodus” from the agency due to restrictive policies.
The newfound optimism is also reflected in social media sentiment, with posts on X echoing Banks’ sentiments, noting agents reversing retirement plans due to improved conditions.
Dramatic Decline in Southern Border Apprehensions
A recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) report underscores the impact of Trump’s border policies, revealing that March 2025 saw fewer apprehensions along the southern border than the first two days of March 2024 under Biden.
Eagle Pass, Texas, once a hotspot with 3,000 to 4,000 daily apprehensions, now averages just 18 per day, with “very few gotaways, little to none. Some days zero gotaways,” Banks reported. This aligns with broader CBP data showing a 95% drop in apprehensions from 137,473 in March 2024 to 7,181 in March 2025.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the transformation, stating, “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, Border Patrol agents are now back to doing the jobs they signed up for: securing the border, rather than serving as travel agents for illegal aliens.”
She cited a Los Angeles Times article highlighting the stark change, with its headline noting a “nearly empty” California-Mexico border and closed migrant shelters. These outcomes stem from Trump’s executive actions, including ending birthright citizenship, suspending refugee admissions, halting humanitarian parole apps, and resuming border wall construction.
Recruitment and Retention Rebound
Banks also highlighted a remarkable turnaround in Border Patrol recruitment and retention. “Recruiting is looking great,” he told Fox News, with the agency “seeing some of our highest numbers ever.” This contrasts sharply with the Biden era, which saw record-low recruitment and high attrition.
“We’re seeing agents pull retirement paperwork in order to continue staying in and serve, and we’re seeing our recruiting numbers go through the roof,” Banks added, signaling a revitalized workforce eager to support the administration’s stringent border security measures.
The collaboration with Texas’ Operation Lone Star, where Banks previously served under Gov. Greg Abbott, has also bolstered efforts. The operation, which includes deploying Texas National Guard soldiers deputized by Banks to assist Border Patrol, has contributed to over 531,400 apprehensions and significant fentanyl seizures, further enhancing border security.
These developments paint a picture of a reinvigorated Border Patrol, aligned with Trump’s aggressive immigration agenda, though longer-term trends will determine the sustainability of these gains.
