Key Takeaways
• Shelters along the US-Mexico border are nearly empty since Trump’s 2025 return and strict new border policies.
• The CBP One app shutdown cancelled 30,000 appointments; most asylum at the border is now blocked.
• Deportations are lower-than-expected; shelter staff warn about closures and humanitarian challenges amid policy shifts.
Migrant shelters along the US-Mexico border 🇲🇽 have seen a historic shift since President Trump returned to office in January 2025. Places that once sheltered thousands of people each night are now mostly empty. This dramatic change has caught the attention of officials, experts, and migrant support groups on both sides of the border. Let’s take a closer look at why this is happening, what government policies are involved, how people are responding, and what it means for migrants and border communities.
Shelters Stand Empty
Across cities like Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, shelters that once overflowed are now nearly silent. At the Flamingos shelter in Tijuana, which can house up to 2,600 people, there are now just about 55 deportees staying there each day. Only months ago, hundreds of people lined up at the door, hoping for a place to sleep. Sister shelters tell a similar story—La Casa del Migrante, also in Tijuana, reports a 70% drop in how many people they help. In El Paso, just over the border in the United States 🇺🇸, the Annunciation House network has shrunk from more than 20 shelters to just four locations still open, serving only about 40 people total. Staff at many shelters warn they might need to close soon if this trend continues.
Pastor Albert Rivera, who runs a well-known Tijuana shelter for 1,300 people, now finds himself taking care of only 31. He remembers when every inch of space—even the basketball court—was crowded with tents. These days, silence echoes where stories and laughter once filled the air.
The Mexican government, preparing for what it expected to be a wave of mass deportations, set up giant tents in its border cities that can hold thousands. One camp in Ciudad Juárez, built to house 2,500 deportees, sits nearly empty.
Policies Behind the Change
This sudden emptiness is not just a coincidence. Several new United States 🇺🇸 policies explain what’s happening.
Stopping the CBP One App
The CBP One app was created to help migrants in Mexico book appointments to seek asylum at official US border crossings. Many migrants relied on this tool as a safe, official route. But after Trump took office, his administration shut down the app on January 20, 2025. With just a few clicks, the pathway for making appointments vanished—30,000 pending appointments were wiped out immediately. As a result, many migrants who had hoped for a chance to plead their case were left in limbo.
Shutting Down Asylum Access
Since the inauguration, the US government has made clear it will no longer accept most asylum applications made at the US-Mexico border 🇲🇽. In effect, the border is closed to people hoping to ask for protection. For tens of thousands stuck in northern Mexico, the options narrowed overnight.
“Remain in Mexico” Returns
On January 21, one day after the inauguration, the Department of Homeland Security announced the return of the Migrant Protection Protocols (known as “Remain in Mexico”). This policy means many people trying to enter the United States 🇺🇸 to ask for asylum must wait in Mexico while they make their case—sometimes for many months, and now with even less chance of success.
Fewer Trying to Cross
The effect of Trump’s tough language and widespread news about these changes has been clear: fewer migrants are attempting the journey. Border Patrol arrests have dropped sharply, from about 61,500 in January to only 11,709 in March. For those who work in shelters, this is seen as a direct result of the new administration’s actions, as people are worried about facing closed doors or harsh treatment.
Mexico 🇲🇽 Gets Ready, Then Waits
Expecting a flood of people sent back, Mexico 🇲🇽 rolled out a special plan, called “Mexico te abraza” (“Mexico Embraces You”). Large temporary shelters were set up in twelve border cities, offering food, basic health care, and mental support in case people arrived suddenly and in great numbers. This was a big show of preparation—rows of beds in huge tents, supplies ready, doctors on call.
But the flood never came. Despite Trump’s repeated pledges to deport “millions,” actual numbers do not back this up. Since January 20, around 12,255 Mexicans and 3,344 foreigners have been deported to Mexico 🇲🇽. Under President Biden last year, nearly 17,200 Mexicans and 3,091 foreigners were returned each month—a higher average compared to the Trump administration’s current numbers.
In the first seven weeks of Trump’s second term, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded just 28,000 deportations. This lags far behind the stated goal of sending home one million people within the first year. So, while shelters and emergency workers were braced for a surge, they have mostly been watching and waiting.
Tough Choices for Migrants
For migrants stranded in Mexico 🇲🇽, the current policies limit their choices. Many face uncertainty, fear, or dangerous situations. Here are the main paths some have chosen:
Applying for Asylum in Mexico 🇲🇽
With the US option mostly closed, more people are seeking safety from Mexico 🇲🇽 itself. The country’s Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) is suddenly much busier, receiving about 1,000 asylum applications each day. While some people do find protection here, Mexico’s system is often slow, crowded, and under pressure.
Returning Home
Some migrants, after months or even years waiting and hoping, are now choosing to go back to their home countries. This journey south can be risky—the same dangerous roads and trafficking routes that led them north. Fear of violence or poverty still looms large, but with so few options, some are willing to take their chances.
Stuck in Limbo
For many, there is nowhere to go. Hundreds of thousands remain scattered in shantytowns, abandoned buildings, or makeshift camps. Many experience poor living conditions and are vulnerable to criminals or corrupt officials. Without hope of moving forward or returning home safely, they live in a constant state of uncertainty.
Taking Greater Risks
As policies harden, some people become more desperate. Reports from Tijuana suggest some are considering jumping the border wall, taking dangerous trips by boat, or hiking across remote mountains—routes that can be deadly. With fewer structured channels to try, the chance of risky crossings increases.
The Ripple Effects
This sharp drop in shelter use is not only a side effect of official policy changes but also marks a big humanitarian challenge. If you look at the numbers, the gap is striking—facilities designed for thousands now see just a handful each night.
For shelter workers and volunteers, this means facing tough decisions. With beds empty and fewer funds coming in, some may need to shut their doors, at least for now. Others are thinking creatively about how to use empty space, like offering help to local poor families or wandering children who have nowhere else to go.
For migrants, however, the personal cost is high. Many feel let down by systems they trusted—some were told for months to wait for an app appointment or a new policy that never arrived. Now they must figure out what comes next, often with little help and fewer choices.
Controversies and Debates
President Trump’s actions around the US-Mexico border 🇲🇽 have sparked debate. Supporters argue that the drop in border crossings is proof that strict rules work and make the United States 🇺🇸 safer. They point to the sharp decrease in apprehensions as evidence that these measures are effective.
On the other hand, critics, including some international agencies and migrant aid groups, warn about the silent suffering these policies cause. When pathways are closed, they say, people do not simply stop migrating—they are pushed underground, where they face new dangers. Some groups also note that forcing people to remain in Mexico 🇲🇽 or blocking their access altogether goes against basic ideas of the right to seek safety.
No matter where you stand, it is clear that the daily experience along the border has changed for thousands. Towns that once saw a steady flow of people are now quiet. Shelters buzzed with energy, but now their halls are mostly deserted.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, this moment could have lasting effects on how the United States 🇺🇸 and Mexico 🇲🇽 handle migration for years to come. People on both sides of the border will feel these changes—some with relief, others with fear or sadness.
Looking Ahead
While policy watchers wait to see what the coming months will bring, many ask if this pattern will hold. Could the empty shelters fill up again, if policies change or new crises force people to move? Or is this low-crowd, high-uncertainty era here to stay?
Some experts point out that migration across the hemisphere responds to many forces—violence, poverty, weather disasters, or sudden rule changes. What’s clear is that President Trump’s latest moves at the US-Mexico border 🇲🇽 have set a new tone, both for those seeking shelter and those offering it.
Practical Guidance and Official Resources
If you are a migrant, a volunteer, or just someone interested in the facts, clear and current information is essential. For people needing asylum, information about the current process—including how to seek protection in Mexico 🇲🇽 through the country’s refugee office—can be found on the official Mexican Migration Institute website: Instituto Nacional de Migración.
Final Thoughts
The emptying of migrant shelters from Tijuana to El Paso is not just about numbers. It shows how quickly things can change when government policies shift. For now, the combination of a border that’s mostly closed, the removal of key tools like the CBP One app, and strict rules about who can apply for asylum has slowed movement north—and emptied once-crowded spaces meant to offer comfort and hope.
But the stories of migrants, of volunteers, and of border towns do not end here. They continue to look for answers and chances in a world where the rules can change overnight. The future of these migrant shelters, and of those who rely on them, will depend on countless decisions made in capitals, courtrooms, and the shelters themselves.
For ongoing updates and guides on US-Mexico border 🇲🇽 shelter trends, changes in asylum rules, and legal pathways, trusted resources like VisaVerge.com and official government websites remain essential for anyone affected by or interested in these pressing issues.
Learn Today
CBP One app → An official mobile tool for migrants to schedule asylum appointments at US border crossings; shut down in January 2025.
Asylum → Protection granted to individuals fleeing persecution or danger in their home countries, often sought at international borders.
Migrant Protection Protocols → Also known as ‘Remain in Mexico,’ this US policy requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during case processing.
Deportation → The formal removal of a foreign national from a country for violating immigration or other laws.
COMAR → Mexico’s Commission for Refugee Assistance, the agency processing and deciding asylum claims in Mexico for foreign nationals.
This Article in a Nutshell
Since Trump’s January 2025 return, drastic changes in US-Mexico border policies have emptied migrant shelters. The closure of the CBP One app and asylum restrictions left facilities nearly deserted. Deportation numbers lag behind expectations, leaving shelters and migrants in limbo, highlighting humanitarian challenges at a historically quiet border region.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• US citizens returning from Mexico: What to know before crossing home
• New Mexico immigrant advocates denounce self-deportation offer
• US Citizens in Mexico: Key Documentation Requirements for Returning Home
• Border Agents Snatch $200K From Couple at Mexico Line
• REAL ID not valid for border crossings to Canada or Mexico
