The beginning of Donald Trump's presidency has meant the realization of his threats, signing 42 executive orders in his first days in office, several of which had an immediate impact on existing immigration policy. During his campaign, Trump promised to expel 11 million undocumented migrants and recently ordered the deployment of the National Guard to stop what he described as an invasion, despite statistics showing a significant decrease in irregular crossings at the Mexico border.
Projections indicate that this trend will intensify due to the aging workforce, early retirements, and a shortage of skilled labor. Despite Trump's attempts to portray migrants negatively, they represent a significant percentage of the workforce in the United States, being the ones most actively seeking employment.
Meanwhile, in some areas of New York, various restaurants have seen their service hours reduced because staff, mostly undocumented, fear showing up to work due to the possibility of immigration raids. These actions mark the beginning of Trump's administration and pose an uncertain future for the United States.
In another context, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado launched a program in Acapulco for exchanging weapons for economic incentives and educational toys in an effort to promote peace. On the other hand, under Joe Biden's administration, figures indicate that in 2024 more than 270,000 people were expelled from the United States, surpassing any year during Donald Trump's term.
The reality is that the United States continues to rely heavily on migrant labor, despite contradictory speeches. Many immigrants, like Josefina, are affected by changes in immigration policies. Josefina, one of the 12 million Mexican migrants in the United States, faces uncertainty in her immigration status, like other 4 million compatriots, under the new era of Trump in the White House.
Amidst this situation, civil organizations are beginning to disseminate information on how to act in case of being detained by ICE agents, while real migrant communities experience the pressure of raids in various cities. Uncertainty reigns among migrants and their families who, like Josefina, have been living in the United States for years and now face an uncertain future under the immigration policies of the current administration.
