Tijuana, once bustling with migrants seeking asylum in the United States, has seen a significant decline in their numbers, with many areas now deserted. The street that previously hosted long lines of individuals waiting for asylum appointments is now empty, and only a handful of people were observed at the border crossing on a recent Thursday morning.
Lenis Mojica, a Venezuelan migrant residing in a local shelter, noted, “People aren’t coming here. Everyone has left. No one else has arrived.” This trend has been mirrored in other Mexican border cities, with a marked decrease in migrant crossings that began prior to the current administration but has intensified since its inauguration.
In April, U.S. border agents apprehended 8,383 individuals along the U.S.-Mexico border, a stark contrast to the 129,000 apprehensions recorded in April 2024 and significantly lower than the nearly 250,000 apprehensions in December 2023. Officials from the current administration have characterized this decline as a success, with the Secretary of Homeland Security stating that the message against illegal immigration is being heard globally.
Despite the reduction in crossings, the administration continues to assert that a border emergency exists. Recent comments from the president indicated the deployment of the National Guard to address protests in California, which he referred to as a “Migrant Invasion.”
Residents and remaining migrants in Tijuana, a city with a population exceeding two million, report a lack of activity at the border. José MarÃa GarcÃa, founder of a local shelter, remarked, “The reality is this: There are no migrants. It’s very calm.”
Under the Biden administration, unlawful border crossings have continued to decline due to new asylum restrictions and Mexico's intensified measures against migrants. The situation worsened after the shutdown of an app that allowed migrants to schedule asylum appointments.
Mojica, who had traveled from Venezuela, expressed her disappointment after her appointment was canceled on the day of the current president's inauguration. She had hoped to reunite with her children in the U.S. after a perilous journey through the Darién Gap.
Johanna Ayada, who manages a shelter where Mojica resides, reported a dramatic decrease in the number of migrants, with her facility's capacity dropping from 2,500 to around 700, primarily housing Mexicans displaced by violence.
GarcÃa, who oversees another shelter, noted that only 50 migrants currently occupy his center, which has a capacity of 200. He questioned the administration's narrative of an ongoing invasion, stating, “There is no longer the same community for him to say that there’s an invasion in his country.”
Blanca Isabel Romero GarcÃa, a migrant from Mexico, shared her family's struggles after fleeing violence in Morelos State. After applying for asylum and waiting for seven months, her family has found temporary work and housing, but she remains uncertain about their future in the U.S.