U.S.- Mexico Border news: Crossings down, refugee shelters in border cities seeing decrease first hand

EL PASO, Texas — During the initial four weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, there has been a noticeable emphasis on increased immigration enforcement and policy adjustments, aligning with his campaign promises.

In recent weeks, a series of executive orders have been swiftly implemented, one of which involved the immediate discontinuation of CBP One, an application that allowed undocumented individuals to schedule appointments at any of the eight southwest border ports of entry to enter the United States.

Effective January 20, the CBP One application was shut down, resulting in the cancellation of all existing appointments for individuals waiting on the Mexican side of the border. This action aimed to reduce the number of border crossings, particularly impacting communities along the border such as El Paso.

“El Paso has always been very resilient and been able to adapt,” said John Martin, the deputy director at the Opportunity Center for the Homeless.

It’s something Martin tells ABC13 they had to do in 2022 and 2023 when they had an influx of migrants seeking help after crossing into the United States.

The streets of El Paso today are vastly different than a year or two ago when hundreds of migrants with hope of a life in the United States made this border city their transitionary point.

“The difference today is that you’ll see the streets empty because they are not risking to be arrested at the border,” said Carlos Marentes, director of the Border Agriculture Workers Center. “A lot of the immigrants that were publicly demanding or requesting assistance to be legally in this country, they just went into the underground… to the shadows again.”

He says the flow of people coming across the Mexico side into El Paso has dramatically decreased in the last several months.

Local shelters like Annunciation House, which once housed hundreds, today only has a handful of refugees.

“I think it’s important for people to understand the decrease. We started to see the decrease in 2024,” said Ruben Garcia, the director of Annunciation House.

Martin agrees and says those numbers continue to go down daily.

“With the reduced numbers that we’re seeing at this point, many of our partners have deactivated their shelters,” said Martin.

Simultaneously, restrictions on immigration are ever changing, causing a wave of uncertainty for the hundreds of migrants they’ve already helped house and feed along the way.

In addition, although border crossings are down, we are seeing an increase in deportation flights to other countries and Guantanamo Bay.

Trump’s administration says they’re focusing on the deportation of immigrants with criminal warrants.

As ABC13 continues to talk to people in the migrant community, some people in Houston are expressing their concerns about what’s next because in their minds they believe this is only the beginning of what’s to come.

For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Copyright © 2025 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Iconic star of The Goonies steps out on rare outing ahead of 40th anniversary of the film

Star from The Goonies movie makes a rare appearance before the film’s 40th anniversary

Fans of The Goonies were pleasantly surprised this week when one of…
Pixar drops 3 new 'Elio' extended clips: Olga confronts Elio, an alien encounter, and galactic negotiations. Watch Now

Revealed: 3 Exciting New ‘Elio’ Extended Clips by Pixar – Featuring Olga, an Alien Encounter, and Galactic Negotiations! Watch Now

Pixar has just unveiled three extended clips from its upcoming animated film…
The iconic landmarks set to be wiped out by The Big One... as experts raise earthquake threat level

Famous landmarks at risk of destruction from a powerful earthquake as experts increase alert level for seismic activity.

The Hollywood sign and the Golden Gate Bridge are among the iconic…
Harrowing plight of world's loneliest killer whales and dolphins: Tragic stories behind majestic sea creatures neglected and abused in marine parks

The sad situation of the loneliest killer whales and dolphins in the world: Heartbreaking tales of majestic ocean animals being mistreated and overlooked in aquatic parks.

They swim in dizzying circles, they go blind and they die slowly. …
Kilmar Abrego Garcia indicted on human trafficking charges, ordered to appear before judge in Nashville

Kilmar Abrego Garcia indicted on charges of human trafficking, scheduled for court appearance in Nashville

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia,…
The silent bloodbath that's tearing through the middle-class and rapidly flipping the US economy on its head

“Unseen Crisis: Middle-Class suffering and Economic Instability in the US”

Two years ago, Elon Musk and numerous other tech experts penned an…
Harvard news: Judge puts temporary hold on President Donald Trump's latest ban on university's foreign students

“Temporary Hold Placed on President Trump’s Latest Ban on Foreign Students at Harvard University”

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has temporarily stopped President Donald Trump’s order…
Hundreds of teenagers transform peaceful beach into chaos as police forced to break up fights

A large group of teenagers turn a calm beach into chaos, leading to police intervention to stop the fights.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A group of around…
Supreme Court gives DOGE access to Social Security data

Supreme Court grants access to Social Security data for DOGE

Granting DOGE access to sensitive data within the Social Security Administration, the…
Broadview protest demands release of Chicago mother detained by ICE during South Loop routine check-in

Broadview protesters are calling for the release of a Chicago mother who was detained by ICE during a routine check-in in South Loop.

Immigration groups are calling for the immediate release of a Chicago mother…
'Freakier Friday' new look: what the latest trailer reveals about the sequel's story.

‘Revealing the Story of the Sequel: A Closer Look at the New ‘Freakier Friday’ Trailer’

Disney released a new trailer for “Freakier Friday” and the switcheroo shenanigans…
Meet Ryan Seacrest's DECADES younger lover. She's a blonde intern from his network...

Introducing Ryan Seacrest’s Young Blonde Intern-Turned-Lover

Eternal bachelor Ryan Seacrest has a new love in his life, and…