Trump’s Border Tactics: Migrant Shelters Shutter Nationwide

Daphne Moon 1 2 min read

Migrant shelters across the United States are closing as illegal immigration reaches unprecedented lows under the Trump administration’s strong border policies. Taxpayers have previously funded facilities in states like Texas, California, and New York when the border crisis escalated during the Biden administration. However, with President Donald Trump focusing on stringent border enforcement, there is a significant drop in the number of migrants who require assistance. This shift makes many shelters redundant.

Michael Hopkins, CEO of Jewish Family Service (JFS) of San Diego, acknowledged the changes in a statement released in January about the closure of their migrant shelter. “We’ve been preparing for these changes in federal policies and enforcement,” Hopkins said. He noted that their shelter services are receiving fewer individuals and families seeking asylum but are witnessing an increase in demand for immigration legal assistance for San Diegans.

The San Diego Rapid Response Network Migrant Shelter, which helped around 250,000 asylum seekers since its inception in 2018, received considerable support from the federal government, even securing $22 million from FEMA for the fiscal year 2024. But with Trump’s return to office and the cessation of the CBP One app for asylum applicants, the shelter hasn’t had any new migrants.

This trend is mirrored across other shelters. The San Antonio Migrant Resource Center (MRC), managed in partnership with Catholic Charities, began operations in July 2022 to assist migrants arriving by bus and plane. According to the City of San Antonio, from January 2021, the city facilitated over 640,000 migrants. However, the migrant flow has dramatically reduced, with a 72% decline in arrivals from January 2024 to 2025. City Manager Erik Walsh stated, “The number of migrants currently arriving at the MRC no longer justifies the cost of running it.”

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced the impending closure of six emergency shelters for asylum seekers, raising the total number of closed shelters in NYC to 52 from June 2024 to June 2025. This decline in migrant numbers aligns with the drop in encounters along the southern border.

Border czar Tom Homan reported on X that U.S. Border Patrol encountered only 229 migrants across the southwest border in 24 hours, a drastic drop from the over 11,000 daily encounters during Biden’s tenure. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Chris Olivarez corroborated this, noting an 85% drop in illegal crossings along the Texas-Mexico border, credited to the Trump administration and Gov. Greg Abbott’s measures.

President Trump’s administration has issued numerous executive orders to fortify the border, such as declaring a national emergency at the border and attempting to end birthright citizenship.

Efforts also extend internationally, with the Mexican government deploying 10,000 soldiers to the border, prompted by the fear of U.S. tariffs. Many migrants are turning back, realizing their chances of crossing illegally are slim under Trump’s leadership. Thomas Homan stated, “President Trump promised a secure border and he is delivering.”

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