Mexican Mayor Praises Trump’s ‘Cleaning House’ Deportation Plan

Key Takeaways

• Nogales Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales supports Trump’s new deportation ‘cleaning house’ strategy reducing border migrant numbers.
• Trump administration enforces 1,200–1,500 daily ICE arrests aiming for one million deportations yearly with expedited removals.
• New policy flies deportees to interior Mexico, easing Nogales’s shelters and reducing repeated border crossings.

Nogales, Sonora Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales has made headlines by openly supporting President Donald Trump’s current deportation strategy, calling it a “cleaning house” approach that has brought relief to his border city. This rare endorsement from a Mexican border official comes at a time when U.S. immigration enforcement is undergoing some of its most sweeping changes in decades. The mayor’s comments, shared in a recent Fox News Digital interview, highlight the complex effects of U.S. policy shifts on both sides of the border.

Trump’s New Deportation Policy: What’s Changed?

Since President Donald Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025, his administration has moved quickly to reshape U.S. immigration enforcement. Through a series of executive orders, the administration has:

• Rescinded protections from the previous administration, including family reunification programs and limits on enforcement.
• Closed the southern border to most undocumented entrants, making it nearly impossible for most people to seek asylum or other immigration benefits.
• Expanded expedited removal authority nationwide, allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to quickly deport people who have lived in the United States 🇺🇸 for two years or less.
• Set daily arrest quotas for ICE at 1,200–1,500, with a public goal of deporting 1 million immigrants each year—more than three times the previous record.
• Expanded 287(g) agreements, which allow local police to help enforce immigration laws, with new, shorter training programs.
• Permitted ICE to make arrests at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
• Negotiated new deportation agreements with Central American countries and others, aiming to send deportees farther from the border.

These changes have sparked strong reactions from officials, advocacy groups, and the public, both in the United States 🇺🇸 and Mexico 🇲🇽.

Nogales, Sonora: A City on the Front Lines

Nogales, Sonora, sits directly across the border from Nogales, Arizona. For years, it has been a major crossing point for migrants and deportees. Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales has watched as U.S. policy changes have shaped daily life in his city.

Before the latest changes, Nogales prepared for a surge of migrants—expecting as many as 2,000 to 3,000 arrivals per day. Instead, the city has seen a dramatic drop, now receiving only about 60 migrants daily since February 2025. Mayor Gim Nogales credits this shift to President Trump’s new strategy of flying deportees deeper into Mexico, rather than simply returning them to border cities.

He explained, “From February 4 to date, we receive 60 migrants on average [per day]. So, nothing to do with the number we expected and with all the infrastructure we prepared.” This reduction has eased pressure on local shelters, hospitals, and public services.

How the New Deportation Process Works

The current deportation process under President Trump’s administration is designed for speed and scale. Here’s how it typically unfolds:

1. Apprehension: ICE agents or local police (now deputized under expanded 287(g) agreements) arrest suspected undocumented immigrants anywhere in the United States 🇺🇸, including in sensitive places like schools or hospitals.
2. Screening: Officers check if the person has lived in the United States 🇺🇸 for two years or less. If so, they are eligible for expedited removal, which means they can be deported quickly without a full court hearing.
3. Processing: Those selected for expedited removal are processed for deportation, often within days.
4. Transportation: Instead of dropping deportees at border cities, many are now flown to interior cities in Mexico 🇲🇽 or to other countries with which the United States 🇺🇸 has agreements.
5. Coordination: Mexican officials, like those in Nogales, work with U.S. agencies to provide shelter and help deportees travel onward.

For more details about the expedited removal process, readers can visit the official ICE removal procedures page.

Why Mayor Gim Nogales Supports the New Approach

Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales’s support for President Trump’s deportation plan is unusual among Mexican officials, who often criticize U.S. enforcement measures. He argues that flying deportees deeper into Mexico 🇲🇽 has several benefits:

• Reduces repeat crossings: When migrants are dropped at the border, many try to cross again. Flying them farther into Mexico 🇲🇽 makes this much harder.
• Eases local strain: With fewer deportees arriving in Nogales, the city’s shelters, hospitals, and public services are less overwhelmed.
• Improves binational cooperation: The mayor says working closely with U.S. authorities has helped Nogales better manage returns and provide support for migrants.

He describes the new policy as “cleaning house,” suggesting it is more effective and organized than previous approaches.

The Numbers: Deportation Targets and Trends

President Trump’s administration has set ambitious goals for immigration enforcement:

• Goal of 1 million deportations per year (the previous record was 267,000 in 2019).
• Daily ICE arrest quotas of 1,200–1,500.
• Nogales, Sonora now receives only about 60 migrants per day, down from the thousands the city once expected.

These numbers show the scale of the current effort and the dramatic change in how deportations are carried out.

Impacts on Stakeholders

Mexican Border Cities

For cities like Nogales, the new policy has brought relief. Fewer deportees mean less pressure on local resources, and better coordination with U.S. agencies helps ensure migrants are processed more smoothly. However, some worry about what happens to deportees who are flown to unfamiliar cities far from the border, where they may have no family or support.

Migrants

Migrants now face a much higher risk of rapid deportation, often without a full hearing in immigration court. Many lose the chance to apply for asylum or other relief, especially if they lack the right documents or background checks. Being flown to interior Mexican cities makes it much harder for them to try crossing again, but it can also leave them stranded far from home or support networks.

U.S. Communities

In the United States 🇺🇸, the new enforcement measures mean more ICE activity in communities nationwide. Local police are now more involved in immigration enforcement, and ICE can make arrests in places that were previously considered off-limits, like schools and hospitals. This has raised concerns about mistaken detentions, including of U.S. citizens, and increased family separations.

Legal and Advocacy Groups

Many legal experts and advocacy organizations warn that the new policies risk violating due process rights and could overwhelm the immigration court system. They also point to humanitarian concerns, especially with the expanded use of expedited removal and detention.

Public Opinion: Divided and Conditional

Public opinion in the United States 🇺🇸 is sharply divided on the new deportation strategy. According to recent surveys:

• Half of Americans say President Trump is deporting more people than expected. Most in this group disapprove of the program.
• A slight majority overall support the effort if they believe it focuses on dangerous criminals.
• Support drops sharply if deportations are seen as targeting non-criminals or lacking legal safeguards.

This shows that while some Americans back tough enforcement, many are concerned about fairness and the risk of mistakes.

Legal and Political Challenges

The Trump administration’s actions have already sparked a wave of legal challenges. Some executive orders have been temporarily blocked by courts, and the Supreme Court is reviewing cases related to expedited removal. There are also ongoing disputes between federal and local governments over “sanctuary” policies, with the administration threatening to withhold funds from jurisdictions that do not cooperate with ICE.

Background: How We Got Here

To understand the current situation, it helps to look back at recent history:

• Trump’s first term (2017–2021): Increased deportations, built new border barriers, and restricted asylum.
• Biden administration (2021–2025): Rolled back many Trump-era policies, focused enforcement on serious criminals, and created programs for family reunification and integration.
• Trump’s second term (2025–present): Reversed Biden’s changes, set mass deportation goals, expanded enforcement nationwide, and reduced judicial oversight.

Many of the current policies are based on “Project 2025,” a conservative plan that calls for nationwide expedited removal, more detention, and even using the military for immigration enforcement.

The Human Side: Real-Life Effects

The new deportation strategy has real effects on people’s lives. For example:

• Families separated: With more arrests happening in homes, workplaces, and even schools, more families are being split apart.
• Children affected: Kids may come home to find a parent missing, or be picked up by ICE at school.
• Legal residents and citizens at risk: Mistakes in records or identification can lead to U.S. citizens or legal residents being detained or even deported.

Advocacy groups warn that the speed and scale of the new policy make these mistakes more likely.

What’s Next? The Future of U.S. Immigration Enforcement

The situation remains fluid. Legal challenges could force changes to the policy, and public protests may influence future decisions. The Trump administration is planning to:

• Increase ICE capacity by expanding detention centers.
• Negotiate more deportation agreements with other countries.
• Push for even higher deportation numbers if legal and logistical barriers can be overcome.

But there are limits. The scale of mass deportations may be hard to sustain, given court challenges, political opposition, and the practical difficulties of removing so many people.

Practical Guidance for Affected Individuals

If you or someone you know may be affected by these policies, here are some steps to consider:

• Know your rights: Everyone in the United States 🇺🇸 has certain rights, regardless of immigration status. For example, you have the right to remain silent and to ask for a lawyer.
• Keep important documents handy: Proof of how long you have lived in the United States 🇺🇸 can affect whether you are eligible for expedited removal.
• Contact legal help: Many organizations offer free or low-cost legal advice. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website provides official information and resources.
• Stay informed: Policies are changing quickly. Check trusted sources like VisaVerge.com for updates and analysis.

Multiple Perspectives: Supporters and Critics

Supporters of the new policy, like Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales, argue that it brings order to the border and helps both countries. Some Americans believe focusing on dangerous criminals makes the country safer.

Critics, including legal experts and advocacy groups, warn that the policy risks violating rights, destabilizing the court system, and causing humanitarian problems. They point to the unprecedented scale of enforcement and the use of local police and even the military in immigration raids.

Contact Information and Resources

For more information or assistance, you can contact:

• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423)
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): 1-877-CBP-5511 (1-877-227-5511)
• City of Nogales, Sonora: Ayuntamiento de Nogales, Sonora – Tel. +52 (631) 311-9000
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): www.uscis.gov
• Mexican Consulate in Nogales, AZ: Tel. +1 (520) 287-2521

Conclusion: A Policy with Far-Reaching Effects

President Donald Trump’s new deportation strategy has changed the landscape for immigrants, border cities, and communities across the United States 🇺🇸 and Mexico 🇲🇽. The support from Nogales, Sonora Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales shows that the effects are not one-sided—some border officials see real benefits in reduced local strain and improved cooperation.

But the policy also brings risks: rapid deportations, family separations, and legal challenges that could reshape the future of U.S. immigration law. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the situation remains fluid, with ongoing court battles and shifting public opinion likely to shape what happens next.

For those affected, staying informed and seeking legal help are more important than ever. The coming months will show whether this “cleaning house” approach becomes the new normal—or faces limits from the courts, Congress, or the public.

Learn Today

Deportation → The official removal of a foreign national from a country, usually for violating immigration laws.
Expedited Removal → A fast deportation process for immigrants in the US less than two years without full court hearings.
287(g) Agreements → Partnerships allowing local police to assist federal immigration enforcement after special training.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → US federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and deportation operations.
Asylum → Protection granted to refugees fleeing persecution, allowing them to stay legally in the United States.

This Article in a Nutshell

Nogales Mayor supports Trump’s bold deportation strategy reducing migrants from thousands to 60 daily. New policy expedites removals by relocating deportees to Mexico’s interior, easing border city pressures and enhancing binational collaboration amid complex legal challenges on immigration enforcement.
— By VisaVerge.com