'No choice but to go back' - migrants despair over Trump border restrictions

Marcos, a 16-year-old boy from Michoacán, Mexico, has a heartbreaking story to share. A year ago, he was forced into a drug cartel by armed men who threatened his family. One evening, while he was out buying medicine for his mother, he was surrounded by four trucks filled with men with guns. They ordered him to get in the truck, threatening to harm his family if he refused. Marcos was taken to a place where other young boys were also being held against their will. For months, he was made to participate in a violent world he wanted no part of. Fortunately, he managed to escape with the help of a gang member who took pity on him. Now, he finds himself in Tijuana, a city on the border of the United States, waiting to present his case for asylum to US authorities. He believes he can prove that he has a 'credible fear' of returning to Mexico due to the dangers he faced. However, he is now filled with despair as he thinks about President Trump's recent executive orders on immigration and border security, which he fears will ruin his chances of receiving help. 'I hope they consider each person's situation and judge fairly,' he says. 'I wish Mr. Trump would show compassion for those who truly need assistance. ' On the evening of his return to the presidency, President Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at fulfilling one of his main campaign promises: to significantly reduce illegal immigration and asylum requests at the US-Mexico border. Among these measures was a declaration that some drug cartels would be classified as terrorist organizations, which could lead to military action and increased deportations. Pastor Albert Rivera, who runs a migrant shelter in Tijuana, is puzzled by this new directive. He points out a contradiction in the executive order, stating, 'If we say these individuals are fleeing from gangs, then labeling them as fleeing from terrorists should only strengthen their asylum claims. ' In December 2018, the number of encounters at the US-Mexico border was around 50,000. This number surged to an all-time high of approximately 300,000 in the winter of 2023, but has since decreased to about 100,000 by December 2024. For Trump's supporters in southern California, the need for these strict measures is clear. Paula Whitsell, chairwoman of the San Diego County Republican Party, expressed her relief at the new president's plan for what he calls 'the largest deportation in American history. ' She believes that the current system in San Diego County is overwhelmed by the influx of migrants and is not equipped to handle the situation. 'We are still a nation of immigrants,' she insists, 'but these measures are aimed at removing undocumented criminals and dismantling the gangs that facilitate human smuggling across the border. ' However, for those waiting in Mexico, many of whom believe they have valid asylum claims, Trump's orders have had immediate and severe consequences. On the morning of Trump's inauguration, around 60 migrants gathered at the Chaparral crossing in Tijuana, hoping to speak with border officials about their asylum requests. Unfortunately, they were redirected by Mexican authorities to buses that took them back to shelters instead. The CBP One app, which had been the only legal way to request asylum at the border, was shut down, leaving many without a means to cross. For some, this felt like the end of their journey. Oralia, a mother living in a tent with her two youngest children for seven months, is also fleeing cartel threats in Michoacán. She hoped to find safety in the US for her 10-year-old son, who suffers from epilepsy. However, with the closure of the CBP One app, she feels her chances of having her asylum claim heard are slim. 'We have no choice but to go back and trust in God that nothing happens,' she says. A local lawyer has advised her to wait and see how Trump's actions unfold, but Oralia has made up her mind. Her bags are packed, and her tent, which has been her home for most of the past year, is now empty for the next family in need. 'It has all been so unfair,' she says, wiping away her tears. 'Mexico welcomes its citizens without complaint, but the same cannot be said for the US. I just hope God can change Mr. Trump's heart because there are many families like ours.