CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico — In anticipation of potential mass deportations heralded by President Donald Trump, Mexico has begun setting up expansive tent facilities along its border on Wednesday.
In an area adjacent to the border with El Paso, Texas, cranes were seen assembling metal structures meant to serve as shelters in Ciudad Juárez. Enrique Serrano, a local official from the state of Chihuahua, characterized these tent setups as an initial phase of a broader plan, indicating that officials would expand their operations if the number of migrants congregating near the border continues to rise. He pointed out that migrants from various nations who are expelled from the U.S. may be relocated to places like Mexico City or southern regions, similar to past practices.
Similarly, Nogales, Mexico, facing Nogales, Arizona, has declared plans to create shelters using local soccer fields and gymnasiums. Other border cities such as Matamoros and Piedras Negras have initiated comparable projects aimed at accommodating deportees.
Reports from Tijuana disclosed incidents where individuals claimed they were part of a group being deported, having been apprehended earlier while working in farm fields in Denver or brought from Oregon. Each individual carried a small orange bag containing their belongings, though their stories could not be independently verified.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum noted during her daily briefing that the number of deportations reported on Tuesday fell below last year’s daily average of around 500. Moreover, many border shelters that previously offered sanctuary for migrants remain relatively under-occupied compared to the substantial migrant influx seen a year ago.
However, officials running these migrant shelters, like José María Garcia who leads the Tijuana shelter Movimiento Juventud 2000, are preparing for possible scenarios involving a significant uptick in arrivals. “Mass deportations in the U.S. along with an influx of thousands of migrants from the south could push Tijuana and nearby cities toward a crisis,” he warned.
Despite President Trump’s commitment to rapidly escalate deportations, achieving this goal presents various logistical and financial hurdles. The Mexican government is in the process of erecting nine shelters in different border cities to accommodate deportees. Additionally, existing facilities in Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and Matamoros will be utilized to manage the influx of migrants whose U.S. asylum appointment requests were canceled on Inauguration Day.
Sheinbaum also stated that Mexico would extend humanitarian support to migrants from other countries affected by canceled asylum appointments, as well as to those waiting in Mexico under the reinstated “Remain in Mexico” policy. She indicated Mexico’s objective of helping these individuals return voluntarily to their homelands.
Conversations took place between Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente and newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, described by Sheinbaum as cordial and constructive, revolving around migration and security concerns.
Following a significant shift in border and immigration policy, Trump recently terminated the CBP One program, which allowed asylum seekers to book appointments via mobile devices. Additionally, the Pentagon has declared plans to deploy up to 1,500 active-duty soldiers to the border.
In Tijuana, Garcia mentioned ongoing discussions aimed at preparing border cities for what is anticipated to be an influx of individuals. The Mexican government also plans to transport some deportees back to their homes in Mexico’s interior and provide them with financial assistance of 2,000 pesos, approximately $100, to help cover their immediate needs.
At the Good Samaritan shelter in Ciudad Juárez, Rev. Juan Fierro is also bracing for potential changes. Over recent years, he has witnessed a diverse shift in the shelter’s clientele—from young men seeking work across a non-fortified border to families pursuing asylum. During Trump’s initial term, policies requiring asylum seekers to stay in Mexico for U.S. processing extended the duration individuals resided at the shelter to as long as three years, according to Fierro.
Now, he is preparing for another wave of migrants. “Our shelter operates on a very tight budget; we function on a day-to-day basis,” he explained. Currently, the shelter accommodates 180 individuals but can only provide meals for about 50. With a recent dip in migration, this week’s numbers have significantly decreased, and he expresses concern about what he anticipates will be an increase in demand. He hopes to allow deportees a few months to weigh their options—returning home, seeking employment in another Mexican region, or trying to reenter the U.S.
“The desire to reach the United States will drive people to search for ways to do so,” he stated.
