Authorities discovered a 40-meter tunnel stretching from Juárez to El Paso, Texas, in early January, raising significant concerns about border security and migration policies. This discovery has sparked fears of additional undiscovered tunnels in the area. Compounding these concerns, the incoming U.S. administration under Donald Trump plans to reinstate Title 42, a public health policy that expelled migrants nearly 3 million times without permitting asylum requests. Trump's administration also intends to cancel CBP One, an app used by migrants in Mexico to schedule U.S. asylum appointments.
The potential reinstatement of the Remain in Mexico policy, which previously forced asylum seekers to remain in perilous border cities while their applications were processed, adds another layer of complexity. These policy shifts are expected to benefit organized crime groups, potentially leading to increased kidnappings and extortion of migrants. Currently, most individuals arriving at Casa del Migrante, a shelter in Ciudad Juárez, have experienced kidnapping during their journey through Mexico.
Casa del Migrante, operating at a third of its 560-person capacity, is bracing for possible mass deportations. Civil society organizations, responsible for more than half of the shelter capacity in Juárez, express concern about the impact of Trump's policies. The Mexican government has established a state-level agency for migration, COESPO, tasked with managing migration issues. Enrique Serrano, the agency's general coordinator, anticipates that most deportees will seek to return to the U.S.
“We do not currently have a strategy for the massive deportation of migrants from the United States because there is no information,” – Enrique Serrano
He further elaborated on the uncertainty surrounding potential deportations.
“The range of possibilities is very wide: they could deport 1,000, or 100,000 or millions,” – Enrique Serrano
Serrano acknowledged the challenges in preparing for every scenario.
“We cannot make strategies for every level of expectation. We are going to wait,” – Enrique Serrano
In anticipation of possible mass deportations, the Mexican federal government plans to establish three encampments in Juárez where deportees would be processed. Mexicans would be offered free bus transport to any location within the country.
Meanwhile, social media advertisements have emerged offering to smuggle migrants under the border wall within 20 minutes for $5,000. This highlights both the risks and opportunities for organized crime groups seeking to exploit shifts in U.S. migration policies. Parker Asmann commented on this adaptability.
“They’re aware of the shifts in the US and they will use them to their benefit, as they have in the past,” – Parker Asmann
Despite these developments, Juárez remains relatively calm on the eve of Trump's inauguration, unlike Tijuana, which recently declared an emergency over potential mass deportations. Nevertheless, there is growing unease over the lack of concrete plans to address these challenges.
“We’ve repeatedly asked the authorities what they are doing about the kidnappings [of migrants],” – Blanca Navarrete
Blanca Navarrete expressed frustration over the absence of a coherent strategy.
“The national guard told us that they were putting together a plan, but we never heard more about it,” – Blanca Navarrete
“In other words, there is no plan,” – Blanca Navarrete
The discovery of the tunnel has also raised questions about border security and the potential existence of other similar passages.
“The fact that this tunnel was in plain sight makes you wonder where else there might be tunnels,” – Ciela Ávila
As civil society organizations brace for potential impacts, Juárez's shelter capacity remains underutilized, with approximately half of the 2,700 beds across the city unoccupied. Ivonne López from Casa del Migrante highlighted the reluctance of some migrants to leave the safety of shelters.
“Some people get here and don’t want to go back outside,” – Ivonne López