Historic 9th Straight Month of Zero Releases at the Border

 

January numbers 93% below historic average, marking a decline for four straight months

Today in Nogales, Arizona, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced that one year into the Trump administration, DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are continuing to set new records for border security. Preliminary January data shows both CBP overall encounters and U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions remain at historic lows, with January marking the fourth consecutive month of declining border crossings.

“In President Trump’s first year back in office, we have delivered the most secure border in American history – and we did so in the immediate aftermath of the worst border crisis in history,” said Secretary Noem. “President Trump’s leadership and bold action have given this country a secure border that keeps breaking historic records. January 2026 marked the fourth consecutive month of decline in the number of Border Patrol apprehensions at the southwest border, with just over 6,000, and the ninth month in a row that Border Patrol has released ZERO illegal aliens into the interior of the country.”

“Our agents and officers are delivering unprecedented results, with border crossings and apprehensions at levels not seen in CBP history,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “The men and women of CBP are demonstrating the impact of effective enforcement and unwavering commitment, ensuring the safety and security of our nation’s borders every single day.”

Standout Stats

• Lowest encounters ever for a month of January
  • 34,631 total nationwide encounters in January—87% lower than the monthly average under the previous administration (230,849/month, February 2021–December 2024).
  • CBP total encounters Fiscal Year to-date are 126,234, 12% lower than October 2024.
• Historic decline in Southwest border apprehensions
  • U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the Southwest border in January: 6,073. This is the fourth consecutive month of decline, and 93% lower than the monthly average observed from FY1992–FY2024 (83,065/month).
  • 90% of all apprehensions were single adults; 71% were aliens from Mexico.
  • 56% of Southwest border apprehensions were first-time apprehensions.
• Nine straight months of zero releases
  • For the ninth consecutive month, U.S. Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into the United States. Every individual apprehended was processed according to law - a milestone unmatched in modern border history.
• Daily average apprehensions on the Southwest border in January
  • 196 per day—eight per hour.
  • 96% lower than the daily average under the last administration (5,110/day, February 2021–December 2024).
  • In January, 42% fewer illegal aliens were apprehended per day than in a single hour during the height of the last administration (336/hour in December 2023).
• Record drug seizures in January
  • Fentanyl seizures: 816 pounds (98% seized along the Southwest border).
  • Methamphetamine seizures: 12,241 pounds (93% seized along the Southwest border, 97% by Office of Field Operations).
  • Cocaine seizures: 5,386 pounds (40% increase from last month; 43% seized along the Southwest border).
  • Marijuana seizures: 17,639 pounds (22% increase from last month; 89% conducted by OFO).

Final numbers will be released in the coming weeks. DHS remains committed to delivering results that safeguard the nation, secure the border, and uphold the rule of law.

Ryan Wesley Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump and Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement Officer

 

Today, Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was sentenced to life plus 84 months in federal prison for the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and related violent and firearms offenses. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida imposed the sentence following Routh’s conviction by a federal jury on all five counts charged in the indictment.

“Ryan Routh’s heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to our prosecutors in the National Security Division and the Southern District of Florida, Routh will never walk free again.”

“Routh’s plan to kill a major presidential candidate, President Donald Trump, was a despicable attack on our democratic system,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department partners, he will pay a high price for his actions. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the justice system will not tolerate such heinous attacks.”

“Routh attempted to assassinate President Trump and thereby cast our Nation into what would have been one of its darkest periods,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence is a resounding rejection of political violence and a clear reminder that we resolve our differences through civil discourse, democratic elections, and lawful protest, not by force.”

“This life sentence reflects a fundamental truth: political violence is un-American and will never be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “An attempted assassination of a presidential candidate is an attack on our democratic process and the rule of law itself. This assassination attempt was stopped by the courage and professionalism of U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, whose decisive actions protected lives and prevented a national tragedy. Today’s life sentence ensures the defendant will never again threaten public safety and sends a clear message that those who choose violence to advance their beliefs will face swift, certain, and decisive justice.”

“Political violence is unacceptable in the United States, and this sentence is commensurate with the gravity of Routh’s actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The investigation was immense and left no stone unturned. The FBI worked shoulder to shoulder with the Secret Service, ATF, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI covered leads across the country and around the globe using all the tools and techniques at our disposal to include FBI Laboratory analysis, the Computer Analysis Response Team and the Cellular Analysis Survey Team. I commend our law enforcement partners and investigative team for their tireless work which led to today’s result.”

In September 2025, after a two-week trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, a jury found Routh guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault of a federal law enforcement officer, and multiple firearms offenses.

According to evidence presented at trial, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano was patrolling one hole ahead of President Trump at the Trump International Golf Club when he observed Routh pointing what appeared to be an AK 47-style rifle at him from a sniper’s hide concealed in a fence line bordering the golf course. Fearing for his life and the life of President Trump, Special Agent Fercano fired at Routh, who fled the scene.

Rifle Behind Fence Line

Law enforcement officers later recovered a Norinco SKS rifle equipped with a scope, a loaded magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition and one round in the chamber, steel armor plates, and a camera affixed to the fence and pointing at the sixth green of the golf course where President Trump was about to play golf.

A civilian witness reported seeing Routh run across a roadway and enter a black Nissan Xterra. Based on that information, Routh was apprehended while traveling northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

A search of Routh’s vehicle revealed multiple mobile phones and a list of international flights along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell phone records showed that between Aug. 18 and Sept. 15, 2024, Routh’s phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International Golf Club and the President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago on multiple occasions.

Testimony at trial also established that Routh had dropped off a box at a witness’s residence in April 2024 after making another trip to the area near the golf course. Inside the box was a handwritten letter addressed “Dear World,” in which Routh stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”

Routh Handwritten Letter

FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with this case.

BRONX MAN INDICTED IN UNPROVOKED FATAL STABBING OF BRONX FATHER

 

Victim Stabbed Multiple Times

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man was indicted on second-degree Murder and first-degree Manslaughter for allegedly fatally stabbing a father of two who was on his way to work. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This is a truly horrific case where an innocent man’s life was taken for apparently no reason. The defendant is accused of stabbing the victim repeatedly causing his death. We will get justice for this family.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Sean Jones, 38, the Bronx, was arraigned on Tuesday, February 4, 2026, on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter, and fourthdegree Criminal Possession of a Weapon by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goldsmith. Remand is continued. His next court appearance is March 17, 2026. 

According to the investigation, on January 5, 2026, at approximately 1:55 p.m., in the vicinity of Third Avenue between East 157th and East 158th Street, the defendant approached 53- year-old George Ennin and allegedly stabbed him with a knife numerous times in the head, face and torso. The victim was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals Lincoln where he died. One of the stab wounds was to the victim’s heart which led to his death.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Ivan Luciano and Brian Destefano of the 40th Precinct Detective Squad, Detective Patrick Curran of the NYPD Bronx Homicide Unit, Police Officers Bernardo Tejeda, Juan Lopez Villalona, Julianna Kutasi and Marc Segarra of the 40th Precinct for their work in the investigation.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.  

Council Member James F. Gennaro Slams Use of City Time for Anti-Israel Working Group at DOHMH

 

"I am outraged by the recent actions of city employees within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) under Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration. The formation and hosting of the so-called 'Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group,' which convened its inaugural meeting during work hours on city time and resources, represents a blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars and a dangerous politicization of our public health institutions.

This group has launched unfounded and inflammatory accusations against the State of Israel, labeling its actions as 'genocide.' Of course, there was no mention of the horrific October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas that claimed over 1,200 innocent lives and sparked the ongoing conflict. Such anti-Israel propaganda has no place in a government agency tasked with safeguarding the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, regardless of their background or beliefs. It fosters division, alienates Jewish employees and communities, and undermines the morale of our dedicated public servants, as evidenced by reports from within the department itself. And the anti-semitic content of the 'Working Group' aside, city employees are not allowed to engage in non-city business while on the clock. If bigoted city employees want to engage in and share vile rhetoric, they have to do so off the clock and at a non-governmental location. Taxpayers should not be paying for a hate incubator. 

Mayor Mamdani's administration must be held accountable for allowing this to occur. As a longtime critic of Israel who has personally echoed similar accusations, the Mayor's silence on this matter speaks volumes about his priorities. Instead of focusing on pressing public health crises – like people freezing to death on the streets, mental health support, infectious disease preparedness, or equitable access to care – this agency has permitted city resources to be hijacked for partisan activism. This is not governance; it's ideological indoctrination at the expense of our city's unity and effectiveness.

I call on the Mayor and DOHMH Commissioner to immediately investigate the use of city time and facilities for such activities, and issue a public apology to those affected. New York City deserves better than employees that prioritizes global politics over local needs. We must restore impartiality and professionalism to our public institutions to serve every resident fairly."

MAYOR MAMDANI, NYCHA ANNOUNCE $38.4 MILLION INVESTMENT TO BRING CLEAN, RELIABLE HEAT PUMPS TO BEACH 41st STREET HOUSES

 

Investment will deliver clean heating and cooling to 712 homes as part of “Clean Heat for All” initiative 

  

Program will reach more than 10,000 New York City apartments by 2030 

TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a $38.4 million investment to install deliver clean, reliable heat pumps at NYCHA’s Beach 41st Street Houses in Edgemere, Queens, delivering modern heating and cooling to 712 homes as part of the city’s Clean Heat for All initiative.   

  

The announcement was made alongside Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt, and Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. Beach 41st Street Houses will be among the first NYCHA developments to receive the custom-designed heat pumps, which will replace an aging gas boiler system that has exceeded its useful life.   

  

Once installed, the heat pumps will provide more consistent and reliable heating, efficient cooling in bedrooms and living rooms, individual temperature controls for residents, and improve hot water reliability. The project advances the city’s goal of expanding Clean Heat for All to more than 10,000 NYCHA apartments by 2030.   

  

“Today’s $38.4 million investment in heat pumps at the Beach 41st NYCHA Houses is about dignity, safety, and climate justice. It means hundreds of working-class New Yorkers in the Rockaways can heat their homes reliably while we cut emissions at the same time,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “This is what it looks like when we understand that the fight for a livable planet and livable housing are in fact one and the same.”  

  

“This investment shows how smart policy can address our housing crisis and climate crisis at the same time. These heat pumps will be cheaper and more efficient, cut emissions, and improve residents’ lives at Beach 41st Street Houses,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “The Clean Heat for All program is proof using the city's investment and purchasing power creatively can drive progress across the city, and that is the creativity that we will bring to bear to address the housing crisis for all New Yorkers.”  

  

“We are so pleased to be bringing the Clean Heat for All heat pumps to the residents of Beach 41st Street Houses,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “These cutting-edge heat pumps will not only provide clean, reliable heat during the winter, but cooling during the summer months as well. We'd like to thank Mayor Mamdani for his support of this program and for his dedication to improving the quality of life for the residents of Beach 41st Houses. We look forward to a continued partnership with his administration as we work to scale up Clean Heat for All and install 30,000 window heat pumps over the next several years.”  

  

“Communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, especially those in Far Rockaway, have historically been the last to receive critical investments and resources to prepare for a just and equitable climate transition,” said Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. “Tenants deserve the peace of mind of reliable heating during frigid cold snaps, and safe cooling during extreme heat. By deploying innovative heat pumps to NYCHA Beach 41st Street Houses, our City is taking critical steps to ensure that New Yorkers feel warm, safe, and comfortable in their homes.”  

  

The heat pumps being installed at Beach 41st Street Houses are the product of the Clean Heat for All Challenge, launched by NYCHA, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in 2021. Following competitive submissions by a variety of heating and cooling device manufacturers, Midea and Gradient won contracts to develop 30,000 pumps for NYCHA homes. To date, 150 have been installed at Woodside Houses in Queens and NYCHA has purchased 5,000 more. Through the Clean Heat for All initiative, NYCHA is using its bulk purchasing power to procure custom heating and cooling devices, filling a gap from existing heat pumps on the market, and improving the reliability and efficiency of hot water service.  

  

Clean Heat for All completed its initial demonstration in June 2024, with the heat pump units showing promising results: pilot apartments with heat pumps maintained more consistent and comfortable temperatures during the winter, compared to control apartments with a standard steam system. The units have been able to maintain their set point temperatures amidst the coldest outdoor temperatures of the heating season while lowering the energy used to provide heat. Resident response to the new heat pumps has been overwhelmingly positive, with 89 percent of residents who received heat pumps reporting satisfaction with the new units. Early results, averaged across two heat pump manufacturers, show an 86 percent decrease in energy required for space heating. Results also indicated a 50 percent decrease in heating energy costs, substantial savings despite the higher cost of electricity relative to gas.   

  

NYCHA, NYPA, and NYSERDA launched the Clean Heat for All Challenge in 2021 engaging HVAC and appliance manufacturers to develop a heat pump model capable of being easily installed through an existing window, requiring little or no electric upgrades, and able to serve the needs of existing multifamily buildings while hastening the transition to fossil-free heating sources. Following the selection of Midea and Gradient’s winning model, NYCHA installed heat pumps in a full building at Woodside Houses in 2025 and will be expanding the program to the remaining buildings in the development starting in the summer of 2026. 1,600 apartments at Bay View Houses closed financing in December 2025 as the first Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) development to incorporate the Clean Heat for All heat pumps closed in December and will electrify heat for 1,600 apartments at Bay View starting in the spring. NYCHA is currently conducting studies to assess suitability of other developments for future installations.  

Brooklyn Man Charged With Daytime Shooting Beside Manhattan School And Playground

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging MICHAEL ZAYAS in connection with the January 14, 2026, daytime shooting during which ZAYAS fired a gun 10 times in the vicinity of Kelly Playground in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.  ZAYAS was arrested and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein. 

“As alleged, Michael Zayas brazenly and unlawfully carried a firearm into a residential neighborhood—across the street from a playground where children were playing, and just down the street from a middle school—and fired it in the air 10 times,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Zayas’s alleged conduct sowed fear and panic among New York residents and visitors, including hundreds of children at the middle school, which was put into lockdown when the gunfire erupted.  Our career prosecutors and dedicated partners will continue to act to bring to justice those who commit gun crimes and ensure that our playgrounds, schools, and streets are safe from threat.  That’s what New Yorkers want, and we hear them.” 

“This brazen, broad-daylight shooting—mere steps from a school and a playground and allegedly at the hands of a convicted felon—endangered innocent lives and disrupted the safety of our community,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.  “Zayas’ swift identification and arrest is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI New York, the NYPD, and our federal law enforcement partners.  HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to pursuing violent offenders and protecting the public from senseless acts.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and statements made in public court proceedings:[1] 

On or about January 14, 2026, at approximately 2:42 p.m., a masked shooter fired approximately 10 rounds near the Kelly Playground at the corner of 17th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan before fleeing the scene, causing at least one nearby school to be placed on lockdown.  Law enforcement officers recovered 10 9-millimeter cartridges from the scene and later identified the shooter as ZAYAS, who had previously been convicted of a felony offense.

The images below show ZAYAS, minutes prior to the shooting (approximately 2:37 p.m.), entering the elevator on a particular floor on an apartment building located approximately two blocks away from the scene of the shooting, then masked and fleeing westbound on 17th Street toward 9th Avenue after the shooting.

ZAYAS, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of possession of ammunition after felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

New York, New Jersey Sue Trump Administration for Illegally Withholding Gateway Tunnel Funding

Without Quick Court Action, Jobs Will be Lost and New York and New Jersey will Suffer

New York and New Jersey announced that both states are suing the Trump Administration for illegally withholding $15 billion in federally committed funding for the Gateway project to provide new tunnels and rehabilitate the existing vital Hudson River rail crossing between northern New Jersey and New York City, jeopardizing the economic future of the Northeast region.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, seeks emergency relief to stop the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from continuing to implement its indefinite funding freeze—funds needed to ensure that active construction on the project can continue, that workers do not lose their jobs, and that the States and their residents are not harmed.

“Donald Trump's revenge tour on New York threatens to derail one of the most vital infrastructure projects this nation has built in generations, putting thousands of union jobs and billions of dollars in economic benefits in jeopardy and threatening the commutes of 200,000 riders,” Governor Hochul said. “New York will fight this illegal effort by the Trump Administration to steal the funding the federal government committed to get the Gateway Tunnel built with everything we've got. My message to Donald Trump and Sean Duffy is simple: we'll see you in court.”

 New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherril said, “Every time the Trump Administration gets involved, costs go up and working people suffer. The illegal attack on the Gateway Tunnel is yet another example. New Jersey will not back down from this fight. If this project stops, 1,000 workers will immediately lose their jobs and hundreds of thousands of commuters will lose the chance at finally having reliable train service that makes their lives easier.”

The States are bringing this lawsuit, separate from the lawsuit the Gateway Development Commission filed this week, because they are suffering their own independent harms. Ending federal funding would do more than just kill thousands of jobs and imperil the future commutes of hard-working New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. It would also mean New Jersey and New York lose the benefits of the millions in funding and land they provided to the Gateway Project. It would mean New Jersey and New York would need to incur significant new operating costs. And because the Gateway Project is well underway with a number of active construction sites, it also means New Jersey and New York would have to incur millions to secure those sites and to prevent serious public safety and public health hazards. Given the immediate chaos, loss of jobs, and serious harms to New York and New Jersey that are otherwise coming, the States are seeking emergency relief—including a preliminary injunction—to block DOT from continuing to implement this indefinite funding freeze.

DEC ISSUES UPDATE ON HUDSON RIVER’S ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS

 

State Spawning Surveys Show Third Consecutive Year of Poor Reproductive Success

Newly Established Striped Bass Working Group Discussions at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to Begin February 5 to Discuss Future Stock Management Challenges

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today issued an update on the Hudson River’s Atlantic striped bass Juvenile Abundance Index (JAI) survey and ongoing collaborations on management of this important fishery. DEC’s JAI determined poor reproductive success in the river for the third consecutive year. In light of the ongoing poor juvenile reproduction and concerns about poor reproduction coastwide, DEC made the motion that initiated the formation of a working group at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to discuss upcoming striped bass management challenges. That motion received strong support to begin discussions of how to manage this important fishery in the 2030s when the coastal population is expected to be much smaller.  

“For the third straight year, DEC’s annual juvenile striped bass survey in the Hudson River documented poor striped bass reproduction, heightening concerns about future abundance and long-term management implications for this critical resource,” Commissioner Lefton said. “The most recent findings confirm that it is more important than ever that DEC continue to engage with the interstate management process, as well as with the coastal community of stakeholders, to take a leadership role in responsibly managing the striped bass population over the next decade.”  

DEC surveys striped bass juveniles and adults at their spawning grounds in the Hudson River and in the Atlantic Ocean. The 2025 value for the DEC’s Hudson River striped bass young-of-year index was 8.27 fish per haul. This value is below the long-term average, and for the third consecutive year, survey values were below the 25^th percentile. The index value, which provides an estimate of annual reproduction for striped bass in the Hudson River, is generated through beach seine surveys at 13 sites in the lower Hudson River conducted bi-weekly from July to November. The survey can be found on DEC’s Striped Bass webpage. 

This recent poor juvenile reproduction in the Hudson River, along with consistent poor reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay over the last seven years, indicates that there will be a significant future decrease in catchable striped bass beginning in 2030. The Hudson and Chesapeake combined contribute approximately 90 percent of the coastal population of striped bass. Reproduction of migratory fish in estuaries along the Atlantic Coast is typically highly variable and is heavily dependent on environmental conditions such as precipitation, water temperature and salinity, but it remains unclear what is driving this pattern in striped bass.

The next striped bass stock assessment will take place in 2027 and the results of that assessment will inform ASMFC striped bass management decisions starting in 2028. Recognizing the concerning poor juvenile reproduction in recent years, DEC proactively proposed that ASMFC create and convene a working group to meet between now and the upcoming assessment to be fully prepared to make management decisions upon receipt of those results.  

The new working group will consider how to update the Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan’s goals, objectives, and management of striped bass in preparation for the results of the 2027 assessment. The goal of the working group is to prepare fishery managers to adapt successfully to the lower population level in the 2030s while maintaining access to striped bass and its important societal, cultural, and economic benefits. The initial step of forming the working group will occur on February 5, 2026, at the ASMFC Winter Meeting in Arlington, Virginia.   

For more information about striped bass, fishing regulations, and ongoing management, visit DEC’s website.