Trump's border policies reduce migrant crossings dramatically

In the United States, the Trump administration has focused significantly on border security, with a promise to secure the U.S. border from migrants being one of the two major issues in President Trump's campaign. Since the beginning of his second term, border security has remained a primary agenda for the administration, reportedly leading to substantial improvements in border issues that they argue the Biden administration had previously neglected. Congressman Tony Gonzales has emphasized the importance of developing partnerships with Mexico to enhance border security and address various immigration concerns. He also highlighted the hidden costs borne by counties along the U.S. southern border related to unidentified migrant fatalities during border crossings. Moreover, San Diego County's system of migrant shelters has recently begun shutting down, directly linked to the crackdown on illegal immigration initiated by President Trump. This crackdown has successfully halted the flow of migrants, resulting in the closure announcements from two major migrant shelter agencies, with Catholic Charities and Jewish Family Service planning to lay off hundreds of employees due to diminished sheltering needs. The decrease in migrant crossings has also manifested in operational challenges faced by shelters along the border. In Tijuana, a long-standing shelter known as Casa del Migrante struggles to stay operational as U.S. foreign aid programs were suddenly suspended. This suspension has raised concerns about the financial viability of assistance programs for recent deportees, even as the shelter attempts to provide services in light of increasing deportations. Reports show that the total number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has drastically decreased since Trump's inauguration and the introduction of strict immigration policies, including the reimplementation of the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers awaiting court hearings. Overall, the Trump administration's approach to border control has yielded significant policy changes resulting in a dramatic downturn in the migrant flow, reshaping the dynamics of border security and immigration assistance in the affected regions. This pivot has prompted a need for a reevaluation of how migrant issues are addressed along the U.S. southern border, with various implications for local communities and agencies involved in supporting migrants.