Migrant shelters closing nationwide as US border crossings plummet
A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration policy that restricts asylum claims from migrants who cross the border illegally. The decision comes as migrant shelters across the United States are closing their doors due to a significant decrease in border crossings.
In January, two shelters in Pima County, Arizona closed, followed by the closure of the Jewish Family Service shelter in San Diego in February. The San Antonio-based Migrant Resource Center also closed its doors in February, citing the decline in people crossing into the United States.
On the East Coast, New York City closed 63 migrant shelters this year, while Massachusetts saw 24 shelters shut down just this week. The White House has attributed these closures to the policies implemented by President Trump, which have led to a decrease in the release of illegal aliens into the country.
According to White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston, President Trump’s actions have resulted in the most secure border ever, leading to a decline in apprehensions of illegal aliens. This has allowed CBP to close all of its “soft-sided” processing facilities in Texas, California, and Arizona.
The drop in border crossings has also been noted in Mexico, where numbers remain significantly lower compared to the Biden administration. In June, Border Patrol reported only 6,070 southern border apprehensions, with zero releases in May and June. This trend has continued, with only 137 encounters at the southern border on June 28.
As the House considers the Trump-backed reconciliation bill, which includes $170 billion in funding for border and immigration measures, the White House is touting the bill as a way to further secure the border and carry out a mass deportation campaign. The bill includes funding for ICE to hire 10,000 more agents, increase detention capacity, and fund border wall construction.
However, not everyone is in favor of these immigration measures. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies has criticized the bill, warning that it will unleash a deportation machine on steroids.
Overall, the closure of migrant shelters and the decrease in border crossings signal a shift in immigration policy under the Trump administration. With the judge’s decision to block the asylum ban, the future of immigration enforcement in the United States remains uncertain.
