A Border Patrol Tactical Unit agent patrols an area where migrants and asylum seekers wait to be picked up and processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument along the U.S.-Mexico border about a mile west of Lukeville on Dec. 4, 2023. The Lukeville Port of Entry was closed by officials Dec. 4 and reopened in January 2024.
San Ysidro, California – The landscape along California’s southernmost border is experiencing a noticeable shift as migrant crossings have slowed to a near halt. A year ago, the border area near San Ysidro was flooded with migrants, forcing humanitarian organizations like the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) to erect elaborate tent setups to provide food, clothing, and medical supplies. Today, those same tents are being dismantled, with no migrants in sight for over a month.
The dramatic drop in border arrivals follows the Biden administration’s decision in May 2023 to end a pandemic-era policy that rapidly expelled migrants. In the lead-up to this policy change, a surge of migrants arrived at the border, overwhelming shelters and prompting groups like AFSC to ramp up their aid efforts. But with fewer crossings, aid workers are now shifting their focus to other populations in need.
Adriana Jasso, who coordinates the U.S.-Mexico program for the Service Committee, recalls the frenzy of last spring when migrants were arriving in large numbers. “This was the first time we took on this level of providing humanitarian aid,” Jasso said. “But now, it’s the closing of an experience — for now. Life can be unpredictable.”
At Whiskey 8, a location just west of the San Ysidro crossing, AFSC’s staff packed up supplies in mostly empty canopies. Once filled with donated items like food and clothes, the tents now serve as a symbol of a much quieter border. The reduction in migrant arrivals is partly due to heightened security measures, including the installation of concertina wire along the border. The U.S. military, in collaboration with Border Patrol agents, has reinforced six miles of the border wall with additional wire to deter crossings.
Border Patrol’s arrests have dropped significantly from more than 1,200 per day at the height of the migrant surge to around 30-40 per day now, under the Trump administration. Jeffrey Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego sector, noted that there’s been a 70% decrease in migrant arrests this fiscal year compared to the previous one.
While the drop in arrivals is welcome news for some, humanitarian organizations fear that the tightening of border security may push more migrants into riskier attempts to cross illegally. Already, there are concerns that migrants might attempt dangerous routes through remote areas, like the Otay Mountain wilderness, which has claimed lives in the past.
In response to the decreased flow of migrants, aid organizations like AFSC are pivoting their efforts to help those already in the U.S., including individuals facing deportation. Additionally, some groups are shifting operations to assist migrants in southern Mexico, who are now facing even longer waits due to the U.S. asylum process becoming more restrictive.
The quiet border scene, once teeming with migrants, marks a turning point for both those trying to cross and the aid workers who once rushed to their side. Though fewer migrants are crossing, advocates like Jasso emphasize that their mission to provide support continues, as the situation remains fluid and unpredictable.
