In Mexican border cities, the migrants are gone

Just across the border from San Diego, the Mexican city of Tijuana has long been a crossroads for migrants seeking a new life in the United States, with families filling local shelters, parks and hotels while they wait for a chance to cross the border.

But in recent months, the migrant population across northern Mexico has drastically declined.

“[The migrants] stopped coming because they have no hope for asylum right now,” said Rev. Pat Murphy, director of La Casa del Migrante, one of the oldest migrant shelters in Tijuana.

Its occupancy rate decreased by 70% over the past few months. 

This decline follows the Trump administration’s termination of the CBP One app, a tool that allowed migrants in Mexico to schedule asylum appointments at US ports of entry.

Without it, many have abandoned their hopes of legal entry, choosing instead to seek asylum in Mexico or return to their home countries. Some have even embarked on perilous journeys southward, navigating treacherous terrains like the Darién Gap to return to South America.

Pastor Albert Rivera runs another shelter in Tijuana with a capacity for 1,300 people. Just over a year ago, every corner of the space was packed, he said, with tents filling the basketball court. Now, Rivera points to unused bunk beds and an industrial kitchen empty at meal time. Only 31 people are now sheltering there.

Rivera said that many migrants who remain in Mexican border cities are among the most vulnerable, especially those targeted by organized crime and who, under normal circumstances, would qualify for asylum.

“People sometimes still show up and say, ‘Well, we’re going to give ourselves up and ask for asylum.’ That doesn’t work anymore,” Murphy said. “They’ll just deport you and give you an order that you can’t come back for 10 years.”

These migrants are now stuck between difficult choices, debating the risks of returning home or crossing into the United States illegally, even though the border has become militarized. 

In January, the Trump administration declared an emergency on the US southern border and sent military officers to secure it. And, following a request by President Donald Trump, Mexico sent 10,000 National Guard troops to crack down on illegal immigration.

In March, US Border Patrol apprehended only 7,181 individuals attempting to cross between ports of entry — a 95% decrease compared to the 137,473 apprehensions recorded in the month in 2024.

“There are still some people who think they can cross. And the smugglers will charge them up to $15,000 — that’s the number we’ve been hearing recently. But it seems pretty much impossible,” Murphy said.

Deportees not coming, either

Many shelters in border cities were expecting to receive massive numbers of deportees from the US.

The Trump administration initiated an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign aimed at deporting 1 million individuals within the first year of his second term in office. 

But it hasn’t achieved that ambitious goal yet, despite making significant strides in ramping up arrests and deportations. In the first seven weeks of Trump’s second term, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported just over 28,000 deportations, which falls short of the administration’s stated goal.

The Mexican government, preparing for eventual mass deportations, launched the “Mexico te abraza” (“Mexico Embraces You”) program, and put together massive tents in a dozen cities along its northern border to provide food, shelter, medical services and psychological support to potential deportees. 

In Tijuana, the government rented the Flamingos Eventos hall with capacity to host 2,500 people. But only about 100 Mexicans are being deported to Tijuana every day, mostly people who just tried crossing the border and who find their way back to their home states.

But shelters remain on alert, preparing for any shifts in migration patterns that may arise from evolving policies and global events.​

Migrant aid at risk of disappearing

Organizations devoted to helping migrants on both sides of the border are also facing financial hardships.

The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid has further strained resources, leading to the suspension of vital programs.

“We lost about 40% of our budget thanks to all the cuts that Trump has made,” Murphy said. “And we have just begun to tell people we can no longer afford to pay them.”

He said he hopes to keep the place operational with a skeleton staff because, despite the current lull, concerns loom over potential future surges.

Albert Rivera, the evangelical pastor, said that his shelter is also at risk of closing and he worries that future migrants or deportees could be left without the resources they need.

Rivera, a US citizen, said he wants Trump to know that he voted for him.

“I was hoping he could crack down on organized crime and human smugglers that control this area,” he explained.

But now, he said, he’s regretting it: “I didn’t vote for this.”

Journalist Ernesto Eslava contributed to this report.