President Trump is highlighting what he calls an unprecedented victory on the southern border, declaring that the United States has gone from what he described as "the worst border in American history" to "the strongest, most secure border in history."
Speaking in a video released by the White House Rapid Response account, the president pointed to a striking statistic: in the past 17 months, not a single illegal alien has been admitted into the country.
"In the past 17 months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States of America," Trump said. "Thank you very much. I almost wish it were like, I said today, I almost wish it were like 119 or 57 or even 900... it's hard to believe zero."
Trump contrasted the current figure with the influx under previous administrations, noting that "25 million people came in and now we say zero." He pushed back on any skepticism, saying the number stands "because we don't play games."
Thanks to Border Patrol and ICE 'Heroes'
The president credited the men and women of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the achievement, calling them "heroes."
He specifically recognized Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, who joined him for the statement. "I want to thank you and the Border Patrol and ICE and all of these guys that do such a great job," Trump said.
Trump noted that even those who may not support his policies have had to concede the result. "Done by people who lean left. So these are people that would love to put some score on the board. But they were honest about it," he said.
Record of Achievement
The border security milestone is part of a broader narrative the White House is advancing ahead of the next election cycle, pointing to gains made since Trump took office and vowing to maintain the policies that delivered them.
While critics have long disputed the figures cited by the administration, the White House is betting that a clear, verifiable outcome — zero illegal entries for 17 straight months — will resonate with voters who rank border security among their top concerns.
