Just hours before President Donald Trump was sworn in for his historic second term, a caravan of over 2,000 migrants departed from southern Mexico, aiming to cross into the United States. The caravan, one of the largest since Trump’s reelection, marched through Tapachula near the Guatemalan border, determined to reach the U.S. despite Trump’s newly reinstated tough-on-immigration policies.
Carrying bags and pushing strollers, the caravan included men, women, and children from countries like Colombia and Cuba. While many expressed hope for better opportunities, their journey now faces a reinvigorated border security apparatus under Trump. On his first day back in office, Trump issued a flurry of executive orders targeting illegal immigration, including resuming construction of the border wall, halting Biden-era parole policies, and reinstating the “Remain-in-Mexico” policy, officially known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).
Trump’s orders immediately put an end to the CBP One app, which had been used to parole migrants into the U.S., leaving thousands stranded on the Mexican side of the border. Colombian migrant Erkin Torres dismissed Trump’s actions, claiming the United Nations guarantees his right to seek asylum. “Just as Donald Trump takes power, he can’t surpass the United Nations,” Torres told Reuters. “The cause is one: better economic stability and giving a better future to those children there.”
Cuban migrant Maria Leidis, however, expressed despair. “Knowing they won’t let us in breaks our hearts,” she said. “But we think that if not through this CBP One application, he’ll set another way, and we’ll enter.”
Trump’s response to the surge has been decisive. Alongside reinstating MPP, Trump deployed U.S. troops to the border under Northern Command to strengthen territorial integrity. He also designated notorious criminal organizations, including MS-13 and the Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), a move allowing for targeted financial sanctions and other penalties against members.
The caravan’s timing underscores the challenges Trump faces in securing the border amid sustained migrant flows. Migrants often form caravans for safety in numbers, believing large groups are less likely to be detained. But many caravans disband after a few days, particularly as the Mexican government, pressured by Trump’s threats of tariffs, ramps up enforcement efforts.
Democrats have long criticized Trump’s border policies as “inhumane,” but the reality is clear: Biden-era policies only encouraged unchecked migration, leaving the border in chaos. Trump’s decisive action on day one sends a powerful message that America’s borders are not open for exploitation.
As Trump implements his America-first agenda, he is once again proving why voters chose him to lead. Whether it’s securing the border or designating violent cartels as terrorist organizations, Trump’s commitment to protecting the nation is unwavering. The migrant caravan may have expected an open-door policy, but they’re learning quickly that under Trump, the rules have changed.
