A cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s immigration strategy is his commitment to aggressive deportation efforts, promising "mass deportations" as a central pillar of his administration. In line with this goal, the Department of Defense has pledged to provide military aircraft to facilitate the deportation of more than 5,000 individuals who have been detained by Border Patrol in San Diego and El Paso, Texas.
On Thursday, the fourth day of Trump's presidency, ICE data showed that over 1,000 people were deported or repatriated, a significant indicator of the administration’s rapid action on immigration enforcement. The expanded scope of expedited deportations is another key change, allowing removals to take place nationwide. Previously, expedited removals were limited to a 100-mile zone near US borders and applied to migrants who had not requested asylum or had failed to establis
h a legitimate claim. Under Trump’s new policy, the removals can occur anywhere in the country and will affect undocumented migrants who cannot prove they have been in the US for more than two years.
While deportations are not unique to the Trump administration, there is a noticeable increase in the pace of removals. During fiscal year 2024, the Biden administration deported 271,000 immigrants, averaging about 740 deportations per day. In comparison, Biden's four-year total of 1.5 million deportations is on par with the numbers from Trump’s first term. However, this figure is still lower than the 2.9 million deportations carried out during Barack Obama's first term, highlighting a shift in immigration enforcement priorities between the two administrations.
Despite these changes, questions remain about the broader impact of Trump's policies, with concerns about the human and economic costs of such a large-scale deportation effort. As the administration pushes forward with its aggressive stance, both critics and supporters are watching closely to see how these actions will reshape the nation's immigration landscape.
3. Fortifying the US-Mexico border:
The Pentagon's announcement on Wednesday to send 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the southern US border underscores the Biden administration’s ongoing focus on securing the border and addressing immigration challenges. With the new deployment, the total number of military personnel in the area now stands at 4,000, a 60% increase in the number of Army troops. These forces will assist Border Patrol by flying helicopters for surveillance operations and supporting the construction of barriers aimed at deterring migrant crossings.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses emphasized that this deployment is just the "beginning," signaling that further troop deployments could be on the horizon as part of a broader strategy to strengthen border enforcement. While specific details of additional "border enforcement mission
s" are yet to be released, officials suggest that the measures will expand beyond surveillance and infrastructure support.
This increase in military presence comes after similar actions taken under the Biden administration, where active-duty troops were stationed to assist with administrative tasks, especially in anticipation of the expiration of Title 42, the public health order used to swiftly expel migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expiration of this policy led to heightened concerns about potential surges in border crossings, but figures from December 2024 showed a notable decrease in migrant apprehensions.
In fact, border crossings dropped significantly in Biden’s final year, with about 47,330 migrant apprehensions recorded in December 2024—an impressive reduction from the high of nearly 250,000 in December 2023. These numbers reflect a trend of declining crossings, but still remain below the record-high encounters seen during Trump’s presidency, particularly in May 2019, when Border Patrol agents apprehended 132,800 migrants in a single month. This ongoing shift highlights the differences in border enforcement strategies between the two administrations, as well as the impact of both pandemic-related policies and evolving immigration measures.
4.Halting the processing of migrants and asylum seekers:
In a recent executive order, President Donald Trump suspended the entry of all undocumented migrants to the United States, directing border patrol agents to turn away individuals without allowing them to seek asylum hearings. Previously, migrants had the legal right to request asylum upon arriving at the US border.
However, in June 2024, the Biden administration introduced its own executive order temporarily suspending asylum for individuals who did not arrive at an official port of entry or who lacked an appointment through the CBP One mobile app. By September, further restrictions on asylum claims were implemented.
Trump has also taken steps to halt the US refugee resettlement program. Under the Biden administration in 2024, the US welcomed over 100,000 refugees—the highest number since 1995. Additionally, Trump ended a major humanitarian program introduced under Biden that allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the US on humanitarian grounds.
Another significant policy from Trump's first term, the "Remain in Mexico" policy, is being reinstated. This policy required non-Mexican asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting the resolution of their claims in the US. It affected approximately 71,000 people during Trump’s first term and faced heavy criticism from immigration advocates, who pointed out that migrants were often left stranded in dangerous conditions and vulnerable to exploitation by criminal gangs.
Currently, US immigration courts are facing an estimated backlog of 3.6 million cases, causing lengthy delays for many migrants, some of whom have waited years for their cases to be heard. With Trump dismissing several top immigration court officials since taking office, there are concerns about the impact on the processing of these pending cases.
5.Cancelling existing migrants' appointments:
One of the most immediate changes following President Donald Trump's arrival in office was the elimination of the CBP One smartphone app, which migrants had used to schedule appointments with US border patrol agents. The app, introduced by the Biden administration, was designed to streamline the entry process for migrants fleeing persecution.
Since the app's removal, approximately 30,000 migrants have been left stranded in Mexico, all with scheduled appointments that were subsequently canceled. Additionally, an estimated 270,000 migrants were waiting in Mexico for appointments through the app, according to government figures obtained by CBS, the BBC's US partner.
The sudden decision to scrap the app has sparked frustration and despair among migrants who had traveled long distances to reach the border and had spent months securing appointments. Immigration advocates argue that without the app, there is no clear pathway for migrants to seek protection upon arrival in the US.
In response, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a legal challenge against the app’s closure, calling it a significant blow to the rights of those seeking refuge.
6.Construction of migrant shelters by Mexico:
In anticipation of an influx of migrants due to President Trump's deportation orders, Mexico has begun constructing large tent shelters in nine border cities to temporarily accommodate them.
Enrique Licon, a municipal official in Ciudad Juárez—located on the border with El Paso, Texas—told Reuters that the shelters, which are expected to house thousands, will be ready in a matter of days. He described the initiative as "unprecedented." The shelters will offer food, medical care, and help with obtaining identification documents. Additionally, buses will be available to transport Mexican nationals back to their hometowns.
This effort is part of a broader government campaign called "Mexico Embraces You," aimed at assisting potential deportees and helping them reintegrate into their home country. Other neighboring countries, such as Guatemala, are also launching similar programs to accommodate their citizens facing deportation.
However, concerns have been raised about whether Mexico and other nations will be adequately prepared to manage the potential surge of deportees. Many of the migrants are fleeing political instability and violent crime in their home countries, prompting questions about their safety upon returning.
Expanding the powers of ICE and carrying out raids:
Several of President Trump's executive orders aim to expand the powers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest and detain undocumented migrants within the United States.
One such order overturns a long-standing policy that prevented immigration raids in "sensitive" locations like schools, hospitals, and churches. Another order seeks to expand a program that allows ICE to delegate immigration enforcement responsibilities to state and local law enforcement agencies.
While it remains unclear how many raids have been carried out since Trump's inauguration, cities have been preparing for large-scale operations. However, sources have told US media that ICE has mainly been conducting "routine operations" so far. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that 538 arrests were made on Thursday.
For context, under the Biden administration in fiscal year 2024, ICE detained more than 149,700 individuals, averaging about 409 arrests per day.
References:
- Bernd Debusmann Jr and Mike Wendling (2025) From snowy cities to Mexican border - trump deportations loom, BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm230ly8k1eo (Accessed: 25 January 2025).
- Can trump revoke birthright citizenship? (2025) BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7vdnlmgyndo (Accessed: 25 January 2025).
- Grant, W. (2025) ‘it’s all been so unjust’: Migrants react to Trump Border Orders, BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17erl4v70qo (Accessed: 25 January 2025).
- Yousif, N. (2025) Six big immigration changes under trump - and their impact so far, BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn2p8x2eyo (Accessed: 25 January 2025)
