The U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump are significantly impacting migration trends across the Americas, as evidenced by a recent report from the Mixed Migration Centre.
The report highlights a stark decrease in migrants heading to the United States due to the Trump administration’s stringent immigration and deportation strategies.
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveals that U.S.-Mexico border crossings plummeted to just 11,017 in March, dramatically lower than the monthly average of 155,000 over the past four years.
This decline correlates with the administration’s intensified crackdown on immigration, including the imposition of a broad asylum ban.
Furthermore, following Trump’s return to power this year, several important immigration policies have shifted.
These changes include the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan and Haitian migrants and the termination of a parole program for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan nationals.
In addition to these policy shifts, the administration has escalated the deportation of migrants to third countries like Panama and Mexico.
However, a U.S. judge intervened in April, ruling that rapid deportations to countries other than a migrant’s home must take into account the risk of persecution or torture.
The impact of these policies is evident in the significant reduction of migration from South America to the U.S.
For example, the number of migrants navigating the Darién Gap—a dangerous stretch between Panama and Colombia—dropped by 98%, with only 408 crossings recorded in February, marking a low point since 2020.
Due to the increased challenges posed by the stricter immigration policies, many migrants are resorting to more perilous and extended routes toward the United States.
Reports indicate a disturbing trend where more women and children are using remote paths through arid regions such as Arizona to reach their destination.
Additionally, individuals who find themselves stranded in other Latin American countries face daunting conditions, lacking resources and support.
For instance, migrants in Mexico have been left without adequate options following Trump’s decision to cancel the CBP One app in January.
This app previously allowed potential asylum seekers to schedule appointments at the U.S.-Mexico border.
As a result of these developments, the waiting times for asylum applications processed through the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) have doubled, rising from two weeks to two months.
Although official statistics from the Mexican refugee agency are still pending, preliminary figures from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) indicate that 16,100 migrants applied for asylum in Mexico during the first quarter of 2025, mirroring numbers from the same period last year.
In the face of these challenges, some migrants are opting to return to their home countries.
Countries like Costa Rica and Colombia are witnessing an influx of migrants returning to their places of origin, paralleling the difficulties they encounter along the journey to the United States.
The implications of Trump’s policies are causing significant disruptions throughout the region, with far-reaching effects on both migrants and sending countries.
(Reporting by Diana Baptista; Editing by Anastasia Moloney and Ana Nicolaci da Costa.)
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