Migrant shelters in the United States are witnessing a significant decline in operations as the border crisis begins to wane.
In Pima County, Arizona, two shelters closed their doors in January, highlighting a broader trend in the region, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
Similarly, in San Diego, the Jewish Family Service announced the closure of its shelter in February, attributing its decision specifically to policy changes, including the discontinuation of the CBP One app.
Texas has not remained unaffected, with the San Antonio-based Migrant Resource Center, which opened in 2022, also shutting down in February due to a sharp decrease in the number of individuals crossing into the United States, as reported by Texas Public Radio.
As the east coast is affected as well, New York City has closed 63 migrant shelters this year, according to PIX11. Massachusetts, which used to have over 120 shelters, now only maintains four, with 24 closures reported in just a week, according to NBC 10 Boston.
In response to the recent developments, White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston stated, “President Trump ended Joe Biden’s illegal alien invasion and ushered in the most secure border ever. Migrant shelters are shuttering because illegal aliens are no longer being released into our great country – that’s the Trump Effect.”
Furthermore, the White House has pointed out that processing facilities along the border have also closed down. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed to Fox News Digital in May that all temporary, soft-sided facilities in Texas, California, and Arizona had been shut down.
CBP stated, “Due to the unprecedented drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens as a result of the President’s recent executive actions, CBP is not operating any temporary, soft-sided processing facilities where illegal aliens have been held in specific locations along the southwest border. CBP no longer has a need for them as illegal aliens are being quickly removed.”
In addition, a CBP spokesperson emphasized, “The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in USBP’s permanent facilities. Manpower and other resources dedicated to temporary processing facilities will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP’s progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border.”
Reports from Mexico indicate a similar decline, with fewer individuals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. Recent border statistics reveal that in June, the Border Patrol recorded only 6,070 southern border apprehensions, with no releases occurring in May or June. On June 28, just 137 encounters were reported at the southern border according to CBP data.
These developments come as the House is nearing a decision on a reconciliation bill supported by President Trump, which includes substantial funding for immigration and border security measures totaling approximately $170 billion, as reported by Reuters.
This proposed funding is expected to bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts to ramp up deportation campaigns, which include plans to hire an additional 10,000 agents. The bill aims to more than double detention capacity for individuals in deportation proceedings and allocate funds for more border wall construction, declared by various sources.
Huston further added, “Once the One, Big, Beautiful Bill is passed, this historic border security progress will be made permanent and the largest mass deportation campaign in American history will be carried out.”
However, it is no surprise that these sweeping immigration measures are facing criticism from various quarters, indicating a complex debate surrounding the future of immigration policy in America.
As the landscape of migrant shelters continues to shift, the impact of evolving immigration policies will likely be a focal point of discussion in the coming months.
image source from：foxnews
