Were there zero releases into the United States for a year under Trump, as Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed?

Were there zero releases into the United States for a year under Trump, as Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed?
July 20, 2026

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Were there zero releases into the United States for a year under Trump, as Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed?

by Matthew Yim, Oklahoma Watch
July 19, 2026

No.

Though the Department of Homeland Security has self-reported zero releases of non-U.S. nationals since May 2025, immigration data from TRAC suggests that the number of aliens released rather than detained, despite significant decreases, remains more than 500 per month. 

From May 2025 to May 2026, 6,524 individuals facing charges for entry without inspection, including those apprehended at a port of entry and those apprehended within the country, were released. Another 1,542 were intercepted attempting EWI during that time. 

DHS is generally required to detain aliens who appear subject to removal, including those who have not been legally admitted or paroled into the United States. 

Though a number of circumstances may constitute a release, releases are not to be confused with humanitarian paroles, despite Mullin prefacing his claim with another that exaggerates the number of such paroles under the Biden Administration. Those currently average 20,000 per month.

Oklahoma Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.

Sources

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