Deportation Archives

Tijuana declares state of emergency as Trump prepares to deport migrants

January 20, 2025

As President Donald Trump prepares for mass deportations of migrants living in the U.S. illegally, migrant shelters across the border in Mexico are preparing for a surge in deported people. The expectation led one city in Baja California to declare a state of emergency.

Tijuana, which sits across the border from San Diego and is Mexico’s second-largest city, declared a state of emergency on Monday, Jan. 20, to access more funds to pay for holding migrants, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Tijuana is home to more than 30 migrant shelters.

CNN reports the city’s mayor said that, despite the emergency declaration, the city isn’t alarmed. It just wants to be ready if President Trump is particularly effective at following through on his plan.

Tijuana is a common stop for migrants looking to cross into the U.S. The city’s migrant affairs director said that in 2023, more than 100,000 people used the CBP One app. They used it to set up appointments to cross from Tijuana into the U.S.

The CBP One app, introduced by the Biden administration, was the primary way for applicants seeking political asylum in the U.S. to set up their entry into the country. However, shortly after taking office Monday, President Trump signed an executive order ending its use.

In addition to being a key crossing point for migrants, Tijuana is home to one of the world’s busiest border crossings, with everything from cargo to commuters coming through.

The San Ysidro Port of Entry connects the city with the southern reaches of San Diego. It saw more than 15 million vehicle crossings and more than 6 million pedestrian crossings in 2023.

US, Mexican officials plan to seal secret smuggling tunnel under border

January 20, 2025

Smugglers may soon have one less way to illegally sneak people and contraband into the United States from Mexico. The Mexican army announcing it is sealing up a secret tunnel underneath the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas, and revealed that an investigation is underway into its construction.

What did authorities find?

Authorities said they believe the tunnel was being used by human and drug traffickers.

CBS News reported on Sunday, Jan. 19, on the Mexican side of the connection, the tunnel is about 1,000 feet long and equipped with lighting ventilation and wood reinforcements to prevent collapse.

The tunnel reportedly measures about 6 feet high and is four feet wide, which Mexico’s military says makes for easy passage of drugs and people.

The tunnel was discovered on Jan. 10 by U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso and is hidden in a storm sewer system between both cities.

Mexican Army officials said the tunnel’s construction may have taken up to two years and they are looking into whether any law enforcement officials were complicit in its creation.

How big is the problem?

Authorities say secret tunnel like this one that are connected to sewer systems are a common tactic among smugglers.

A former U.S. Border Patrol sector Chief told the Daily Mail that he estimates up to 240 such underground connections have existed along the U.S. southern border since 1991.

What’s the bigger picture?

The discovery of the latest underground passageway comes as President Donald Trump vows mass deportations and reportedly plans Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as soon as Tuesday, Jan. 21.

ICE to launch immigration raids in Chicago day after inauguration: Reports

January 17, 2025

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to conduct a large-scale deportation raid in Chicago next week, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal report. The Times reports the raids could start as soon as Tuesday, as the incoming president aims to achieve his goal of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement routinely conducts raids. However, the Times said the agency told its personnel that the plan was tied to the president-elect’s policy priorities.

The Journal reports that between 100 and 200 ICE officers will carry out the operation, which will last through the week.

Chicago is a so-called “sanctuary city.” The city is one that does not hand over undocumented immigrants detained by local police to federal authorities. Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson has vocally criticized Trump on immigration.

The president-elect’s incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, is set to lead the mass deportation effort. He told Chicago Republicans last month that he planned to be in Chicago on day one. Homan also called Johnson “not a real bright guy.”

Chicago also received thousands of migrants from Texas. The state’s Republican Gov. Greg Abbott bussed people who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum in the U.S. to Chicago and other cities further removed from the border.

Trump plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. Homan suggested the plan would also deport parents in the country illegally even if their children are U.S. citizens. Members of the incoming administration have said in recent weeks that deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records will be an early priority.

DeSantis details proposals for Florida’s role in Trump’s immigration plan

January 16, 2025

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis outlined several proposals for how the state can support incoming President Donald Trump’s immigration plan, which includes mass deportations. The proposals come just a few days after DeSantis announced his intention to call a special session to address illegal immigration.

DeSantis proposed giving local and state law enforcement full authority to enforce immigration laws. It would include the power to arrest and detain immigrants who are in the country illegally. He also suggested appointing a state immigration officer to oversee coordination efforts with federal immigration authorities.

Additionally, the Florida governor recommended implementing a criminal penalty for anyone entering the state illegally. Currently, illegal entry into the United States is only a federal crime.

“We should do this so that we have an ability to hold them accountable in ways,” DeSantis said. “And my thing on this when people say, ‘Oh, well, deport the criminals.’ The problem with that is if somebody is here and they’re in a gang and they haven’t committed a crime yet, are you just supposed to sit there and wait until somebody is victimized? No, your illegal entry into our state was a crime. We get that on the books, and then we send you back home where you belong. So we need to do that.”

DeSantis expressed skepticism that Congress would pass immigration reform. He said it would be up to state leaders to proactively assist the federal government when Trump returns to the White House on Monday, Jan. 20.

However, some Florida state lawmakers have said they are not interested in a special session, complicating if and when the session will be held.

Meanwhile, other state leaders are either preparing to align with Trump’s immigration plan or outlining a defense against mass deportations.

Gov. Newsom convenes special session in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom convened a “Trump-proofing” special session of the state legislature.

On Monday, Jan. 13, California State Sen. Scott Wiener announced amended legislation allocating $25 million for legal aid to those at risk of deportation. Lawmakers also proposed setting aside $25 million for state and local lawsuits against the Trump administration.

“Senate Democrats are particularly proud to provide funding for providers of legal aid services, which know our communities’ needs best and are best positioned to defend at scale the millions of individuals and families that will be impacted by the incoming administration’s extreme agenda,” Wiener said in a statement.

Idaho bill targets undocumented immigrants

In Idaho, lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday, Jan. 14, that, if passed, would allow local law enforcement to arrest and charge migrants who are in the country illegally. ACLU officials have stated that they will challenge the legislation if it becomes law. They argue that it is unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling.

Gov. Hochul, Mayor Adams address immigration in New York

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul reaffirmed her commitment to protecting migrants working and living in the country for years. However, she stated that immigrants living in the country illegally who commit crimes should be deported.

“If someone breaks the law, I’ll be the first one to call up [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and say, ‘Get them out of here,’” Hochul said.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams echoed a similar sentiment. After meeting with Trump’s incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, last month, Adams said they both want to get criminal migrants off the streets of New York.

“We’re going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hard-working, giving back to this city in a real way,” Adams said at the time. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those that commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and long-standing New Yorkers.”

Texas offers land for detention facilities

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration has offered land to the Trump administration where it can build detention facilities and carry out its mass deportations.

Trump’s mass deportation plan

Homan, who Trump tapped to help facilitate the deportations, has said the federal government has a “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to unlawful migration. He also emphasized that sanctuary cities and states undermine the rule of law. Homan warned Democratic lawmakers in November “to get the hell out of the way” if they oppose Trump’s deportation plans.

Trump has stated that he plans to implement his mass deportation plan on his first day in office. The inauguration will take place Monday.

Biden extends TPS for nearly 835,000 migrants from Venezuela, El Salvador

January 10, 2025

Just 10 days before leaving office, President Joe Biden is extending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to more than 800,000 immigrants from Latin America who are currently in the United States legally. Biden’s move complicates President-elect Donald Trump’s signature plan to significantly cut immigration into the U.S. while also executing what he calls the largest deportation effort in the country’s history.

TPS is a program that allows immigrants to stay in the U.S. legally for a set period. It doesn’t give them a path to citizenship, and the president can renew it.

The latest decision allows 600,000 people from Venezuela and 230,000 from El Salvador to stay in the U.S. for 18 months.

Normally, the program takes the status of a migrant’s home country into account. In Venezuela, socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro took office for a third term as president Friday, Jan. 10, after an election the current State Department and Trump’s Secretary of State nominee, Marco Rubio, both said they considered to be illegitimate.

While the Biden administration extended the temporary protective status, they did not expand the program to protect newer arrivals who are in the country illegally.

Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have both criticized the TPS program.

In his first term, Trump worked to end TPS for migrants from multiple countries but faced difficulties after migrants brought lawsuits challenging his plan.

Ending TPS will likely factor into Trump’s plans to drastically cut immigration an-d launch a mass deportation of migrants in the country illegally.

Although Biden issued an 18-month extension, the Department of Homeland Security can revoke TPS if they give 60 days’ notice.

Mexico to launch ‘panic button’ app for migrants facing deportation in US

January 8, 2025

The Mexican government plans to introduce a new “panic button” for Mexican migrants facing deportation from the U.S. The announcement comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Throughout the campaign and since winning reelection, Trump has promised to implement mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally during his second term.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and her administration have confirmed the development of a mobile app currently in the testing phase.

Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs, also said the public can expect a major app rollout this year.

“In case you find yourself in a situation where detention is imminent, you push the alert button, and that sends a signal to the nearest consulate,” De la Fuente said.

The app will alert the nearest Mexican consulate and notify family members of the person facing deportation. Mexican government officials say the feature is designed for individuals facing “imminent detention.”

Officials said that a legal aid program for Mexicans in the U.S. includes more than 300 advisors at 53 consulates. Additional support comes from consultants and law firms.

According to Mexican officials, an estimated 11.5 million Mexicans have legal U.S. residency, while 4.8 million lack legal status or documentation.

“The vulnerable Mexican citizens need to know that they have rights,” Sheinbaum told reporters. “You can’t just deport a person, detain them, take them to the border. There are a series of legal procedures that need to be followed.”

It is unclear when the public will have access to the app.

In reversal, Mexico may accept migrants from other nations deported by Trump

January 3, 2025

Mexico has stated that it’s not ruling out the possibility of taking in migrants deported by the United States, regardless of nationality. The decision is a reversal from what Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum initially said last month, saying Mexico would push U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to return deportees of other nationalities directly to their countries.

In a press conference Friday, Jan. 3, Sheinbaum said that Mexico is open to collaborating with the U.S.

“There will be time to speak with the United States government if these deportations really happen, but we will receive them here, we are going to receive them properly and we have a plan,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum did not elaborate on the plan, but it could include limiting certain nationalities or requesting compensation from the U.S.

Trump has promised mass deportations, however critics said there will be logistical and economic challenges.

A recent report from the American immigration council estimates that it would cost $88 billion to deport one million migrants a year. That would total more than $967 billion over a 10-year period.

Mexico is not obligated to accept non-Mexican migrants from other countries, but in the past it has agreed to do so. Cuba and Venezuela, for example, often refuse deportation flights from the U.S., but may accept them from Mexico.

Sheinbaum plans to meet with her cabinet next week to discuss immigration issues ahead of Trump taking office.

46% of GOP voters support military detaining migrants illegally in US: Survey

December 30, 2024

Nearly half of Republican voters believe the U.S. military should put immigrants living in the U.S. illegally into internment camps until they can be deported. The data comes from a new survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).

Republican voters were more than twice as likely as independents (19%) and over five times as likely as Democrats (8%) to support this policy.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection numbers, more than 11 million migrants entered the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration.

President-elect Donald Trump has said he believes that number is closer to 21 million migrants and that he will declare a national emergency to address immigration.

Trump and his incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, have said they will use all means necessary to carry out their plan of mass deportations, including the military.

In Trump’s Time Magazine Person of the Year interview, he was asked about how he would use the military since the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement.

Trump responded, saying he would “go to the maximum the laws of the country allow.”

“It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country,” he said.

The state of Texas has also offered Trump’s incoming administration hundreds of acres of land to build detention camps and carry out deportation plans.

The PRRI post-election survey was conducted between Nov. 8 and Dec. 2, and it is based on a representative sample of 5,772 adults living in the United States.

Guatemala open to dialogue with Trump administration on deportations

December 27, 2024

Government officials in Guatemala said they are open to having “constructive and respectful dialogue” with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Trump has vowed mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in his second term and plans to begin the process quickly after his inauguration.

Officials said Guatemala is open to receiving migrants who may be from other Central American countries deported from the United States, according to Reuters.

So far, no such agreement between the two countries has been made.

The U.S. has faced difficulties in deporting citizens from countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti due to tense diplomatic relations.

The Bahamas and Mexico have also said they do not want to receive deportees from third-party countries.

“There has to be a regional response and we want to be part of the solution,” a Guatemalan official told Reuters anonymously.

In a statement released Thursday, Dec. 26, government officials from Guatemala said they are in ongoing talks with Trump’s transition team but has yet to meet with officials about his plan to deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants.

In late November 2024, Guatemala’s security minister and migration director visited Washington, D.C. The delegation met with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump’s pick for secretary of state, and other top Republicans to discuss drug trafficking, migration and deportations, according to Reuters. The visit signaled Guatemala’s interest in maintaining strong ties with the U.S.

Mexico developing app allowing citizens to send alert if detained in US

December 27, 2024

Mexico said that it is creating a cellphone app that its citizens can use to alert their families and local consulate if they have been detained by U.S. immigration authorities. The move announced on Friday, Dec. 27, is in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to start mass deportations after he is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025.

Mexican officials said the app is undergoing small-scale testing and is “working very well.”

The app would reportedly allow users to press a tab that sends a notification to pre-selected relatives and the nearest Mexican consulate.

Mexican officials said the app should be ready sometime in January 2025.

U.S. law enforcement is already required to give notice to a migrant’s country of origin when a person is detained.

The Mexican government also noted that it has a 24-hour call center to answer questions migrants may have. The country has also reportedly added consular staff in preparation for deportations and to help migrants with the legal process.

Some have reportedly compared the app to a panic button for migrants.

The app could also potentially serve as a replacement for the CBP One app, which Trump has promised to end.

The CBP One app, developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allows migrants to schedule an appointment with U.S. immigration officials for potential asylum.

The CBP One app was rolled out by the Biden administration in January 2023 to “reduce wait time and crowds at U.S. ports of entry.”

However in September 2024, Trump vowed to end the app, claiming it was being used to smuggle migrants into the United States.