As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to assume office, illegal immigrants are scrambling to cross the U.S.-Mexico border before his tough immigration policies take effect. Human smugglers are reportedly using WhatsApp to urge migrants to make the trek north while they still can.
According to the Washington Street Journal, messages warning of Trump’s impending crackdown began circulating among migrant groups as soon as election results were announced. Luis Villagrán, a Mexican immigrant advocate, revealed that four WhatsApp groups with hundreds of participants coordinated mass departures on election day, driven by fear that Trump will dismantle pathways for illegal entry.
Smugglers are strategically guiding migrants to cross in areas where state troopers lack the authority to make arrests. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez stated that migrants are exploiting lenient federal policies under the outgoing Biden-Harris administration, knowing Border Patrol agents are unlikely to detain them for long.
The urgency is fueled by Trump’s promises to revive his signature immigration policies, including the Remain in Mexico program, restarting border wall construction, hiring additional Border Patrol agents, and initiating what he calls the “largest deportation program in American history.” These plans signal a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s lax enforcement, which saw over 8.5 million illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border during its four years.
Daily crossings remain high, with about 300 migrants flooding into Eagle Pass, Texas. State officials are bracing for a surge of “mass” crossings before Trump’s inauguration. Despite the risks, migrants are taking their chances, hoping to enter before the gates close.
Trump has vowed immediate action, and if his first term is any indication, he will deliver on his promises. The border crisis is about to face a seismic shift as America prepares to enforce its laws once again.
