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Immigration

Tears at the Mexico-US border after the cancellation of the mobile app that allowed migrants to cross

Donald Trump has been following through swiftly with his plans on immigration policy signing a flurry of executive orders since being sworn in as president.

Migrants' dreams dashed after Trump swearing-in
Jose Luis GonzalezREUTERS

Shortly after being sworn in as the 47th US president, Donald Trump whipped out his Sharpie pen and began signing a slew of executive orders covering a whole spectrum of issues. One of those in particular was felt almost immediately after he took his oath of office, his promised policies on immigration.

At the southern border with Mexico on January 20, migrants waiting in line at ports of entry, who had secured an appointment for admission into the United States through the CBP One app, received a message informing them that the app “is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled.” The news left many who were seeking refuge in the US distraught and in tears as they are now in limbo, unsure what to do next.

Trump mass deportation program

There had been rumors that the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportation would get underway as soon as the 47th US president assumed his office. However, that has still yet to emerge on the scale that was promised during the 2024 presidential race.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted 308 arrests across the country according to Tom Homan, Trump’s designated Border Czar, speaking to Fox News on Wednesday. For comparison, ICE officers arrested 282 migrants per day in September 2024 according to the most recent data available.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Interim Secretary Benjamine Huffman issued directives on Tuesday allowing Customs and Border Patrol agents and ICE officers to operate in or near “sensitive” locations like churches and schools.

Asylum seekers, mostly with canceled CBP One appointments, react as they pray while waiting at a temporary shelter in Matamoros, Mexico, in hopes of a new opportunity to enter the United States on the day of the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
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Asylum seekers, mostly with canceled CBP One appointments, react as they pray while waiting at a temporary shelter in Matamoros, Mexico, in hopes of a new opportunity to enter the United States on the day of the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.Daniel BecerrilREUTERS

US troops heading to the southern border

On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order closing the southern border to undocumented immigrants declaring their crossing into the US “an invasion.” Declaring that the US Constitution gives him the authority, Trump authorized and directed “the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of State to take all necessary action to immediately repel, repatriate, and remove illegal aliens across the southern border of the United States.”

Additionally, 1,500 US troops, including 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines, are en route to the border with Mexico and should be operational “within 24 to 48 hours,” a source told USA Today. “The troops will place physical barriers, provide situational awareness and intelligence, and work with Customs and Border Protection on movement and staging,” reports the outlet. Law enforcement will not be part of duties they are set to perform.

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