The migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, which intensified during the Biden administration due to record numbers of migrant arrivals, has taken a dramatic turn under President Donald Trump’s return to office. Wasting no time, Trump immediately reversed several Biden-era policies with a series of executive orders aimed at curbing illegal immigration and restoring the stricter enforcement measures of his first term.

His reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy alone created a chilling effect, as asylum seekers were once again forced to await decisions south of the border. The impact was swift—migrant crossings plummeted, many began abandoning their journeys altogether, and the message was clear: the border was no longer open. As migrant routes shifted and the number of illegal entries dropped, all eyes turned to a powerful new dynamic forming just south of the U.S. border—one that would reshape the immigration landscape in unexpected ways…