U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Tuesday that it received more than 236,000 H-1B petitions for skilled foreign workers in only seven days, breaking the record set last year for the highly popular visa, according to an agency spokeswoman.

DHS has been targeting its enforcement efforts to prioritize convicted criminals and threats to public safety, border security, and national security. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 statistics reflect the Department’s immigration enforcement efforts that prioritize convicted criminals and threats to public safety, border security, and national security. Overall, the Department apprehended 406,595 individuals nationwide and conducted a total of 462,463 removals and returns. The U.S. Border Patrol reported 337,117 apprehensions nationwide in FY 2015, compared to 486,651 in FY 2014, a decrease of 30 percent. Historically, a large number of ICE’s removals have been based on CBP’s significant border apprehensions. However, with the exception of one year, apprehensions along the southwest border – a key measure of illegal border crossings – are at their lowest level in more than 40 years.

CBP apprehensions resulted in a decrease in the number of overall ICE intakes, falling from 263,340 intakes in FY 2014 to 193,951 intakes in FY 2015. This indicates a lower number of decreased illegal migration and CBP apprehensions.

At the same time, ICE removed or returned 235,413 individuals in FY 2015, with 86 percent of these individuals considered a “top priority” (Priority One) – those considered border security or public safety threats. The number of convicted criminals removed from the interior continued to increase, as 91 percent of ICE’s FY 2015 interior removals and returns were individuals who were previously convicted of a crime, compared to 86 percent in FY 2014, and just 67 percent in FY 2011.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Thursday that it had reached the annual cap for H-1B petitions for skilled guest workers, but it the agency said it was too soon to tell whether it was another record-breaking year for the highly popular visa.