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El Paso's quiet streets mark sharp shift in US border migration under Trump
While protests over immigration policies erupt in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, El Paso-once a flashpoint for migrant arrivals-now sits eerily calm. A year after shelters overflowed and streets teemed with asylum seekers, the Texas border city has seen a dramatic decline in migrant activity, a shift attributed to stricter policies under President Donald Trump's administration.
The end of an era
Just two years ago, as many as 2,500 migrants camped outside Sacred Heart Catholic Church, relying on charities for food and water. Nearby parks and shelters buzzed with stories of harrowing journeys through Latin America. Today, the church sees only a handful of parishioners, and shelters that once housed thousands now operate at minimal capacity-some with fewer than 20 occupants per night.
El Paso declared a state of emergency in late 2022 as shelters reached breaking point. But since Trump took office in January-campaigning on a promise to "fix the border"-the flow of migrants has slowed to a near-halt. The trend extends across the 1,900-mile (3,145 km) US-Mexico border, from California to Texas' Gulf Coast.
Record-low detentions
Border Patrol detentions in September 2025 plummeted to 11,647-down from 101,000 in September 2024 and 269,700 in September 2023, marking a 50-year low. The decline began in the final months of Joe Biden's presidency but accelerated under Trump, whose administration claims "full operational control" of the border for the first time in US history.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called the strategy "wildly successful," framing it as a reversal of Biden's "pro-illegal immigration policies." Officials cite a mix of factors: Mexico's crackdown on northbound migration, the end of humanitarian parole programs, tighter asylum rules, and increased military-backed surveillance. Interior deportation raids have also deterred potential crossers.
"Not many people are crossing the border, and not that many are even trying. With Biden, people knew that sooner or later they'd be able to come across and stay. It's not like that now."
An undocumented immigrant, speaking anonymously to the BBC
Local relief-and regret
Some residents welcome the change. Demesio Guerrero, a naturalized US citizen in eastern Texas, recalled "chaos everywhere" under Biden, with encampments stretching along the border. "Trump did what he had to do," Guerrero said. Others, like Lorie Randazzo of Greater El Paso Republican Women, described fearing for their safety during Biden's term but now feel secure-while insisting they support "only the best" immigrants who "want to work."
Yet the crackdown has sparked unease. Marisa Limon Garza, director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, noted many locals-even conservatives-sympathize with migrants, especially long-term residents facing removal. Data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse reveals that over 70% of the 60,000 detainees as of September had no criminal record, with many living in the US for years.
"People are waking up and realizing they got scammed... that they screwed their families, their loved ones, and their neighbors-and now have to wrestle with that."
Marisa Limon Garza, executive director, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
Mixed reactions in border communities
In Rio Grande City, 29-year Army veteran Ross Barrera acknowledged broad support for border security but criticized harsh enforcement tactics. "It upsets people that the lady who's been here 20 years is getting deported," he said. Jesse Fuentes, an activist in Eagle Pass, claimed some Trump voters now regret their choice-but fear speaking out.
Elizabeth Amy Posada, a former aide to a local Republican congressman, argued the policies have reduced migrant deaths in the desert and Rio Grande, benefiting both locals and newcomers. "Everyone should be happy about this," she said, "no matter their politics."
What's next?
The White House frames the slowdown as a lasting victory, but advocates warn of lingering consequences. With shelters nearly empty and streets quiet, El Paso's shift reflects a broader transformation-one that has reshaped communities, families, and the national immigration debate.
