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| A Dramatic Drop in Migrant Arrivals on the Border: What’s Happening? | A Dramatic Drop in Migrant Arrivals on the Border: What’s Happening? |
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| SAN DIEGO — In the sleeping quarters, green cots that were once occupied by hundreds of parents and children on a single night were stacked against the wall. For dinner on Tuesday, just two tables were set for the handful of families staying at the large shelter near the California border that takes in migrant families arriving from Mexico. | SAN DIEGO — In the sleeping quarters, green cots that were once occupied by hundreds of parents and children on a single night were stacked against the wall. For dinner on Tuesday, just two tables were set for the handful of families staying at the large shelter near the California border that takes in migrant families arriving from Mexico. |
| At its peak, the facility run by Jewish Family Service of San Diego held more than 300 migrants dropped off by United States immigration authorities. Some days this spring were so busy that new arrivals had to be sent to overflow sites. | At its peak, the facility run by Jewish Family Service of San Diego held more than 300 migrants dropped off by United States immigration authorities. Some days this spring were so busy that new arrivals had to be sent to overflow sites. |
| Now, the shelter is almost eerily empty. The number of people arriving there has plunged in recent weeks amid a precipitous decline in arrivals along the southern border, where the Department of Homeland Security said that apprehensions dropped 28 percent in June. | Now, the shelter is almost eerily empty. The number of people arriving there has plunged in recent weeks amid a precipitous decline in arrivals along the southern border, where the Department of Homeland Security said that apprehensions dropped 28 percent in June. |
| Customs and Border Protection authorities encountered 104,344 people crossing from Mexico last month, compared with 144,278 in May, which had marked a 13-year monthly high. At the nonprofit shelter here in San Diego, the effects have been dramatic. On Friday of last week, not a single migrant arrived at the facility, the first time this had occurred since it opened in October. | Customs and Border Protection authorities encountered 104,344 people crossing from Mexico last month, compared with 144,278 in May, which had marked a 13-year monthly high. At the nonprofit shelter here in San Diego, the effects have been dramatic. On Friday of last week, not a single migrant arrived at the facility, the first time this had occurred since it opened in October. |
| “We have been startled by the stark decline that happened virtually overnight,” said Kate Clark, senior director of immigration services at the shelter. “U.S. immigration authorities are not bringing families who have been processed to the shelter because they are returning them to Mexico.” | “We have been startled by the stark decline that happened virtually overnight,” said Kate Clark, senior director of immigration services at the shelter. “U.S. immigration authorities are not bringing families who have been processed to the shelter because they are returning them to Mexico.” |
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| The Mexican city of Tijuana across the border, meanwhile, is still full of migrants — many of them turned back at the border under the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” program. | |
| The Instituto Madre Asunta, a family shelter for migrant families just south of the border, has for several weeks been packing in more than three times the number of people it is designed to accommodate. Mothers and children from Central America and Haiti have been sleeping in a classroom converted into a dorm, many atop mattresses laid out on the ground. | |
| “We’re doing our best to sleep 140 people but we only have 44 beds,” said Adelia Contini, the nun who runs the facility in a residential neighborhood that has a shelter for fathers and children that was also over capacity. | “We’re doing our best to sleep 140 people but we only have 44 beds,” said Adelia Contini, the nun who runs the facility in a residential neighborhood that has a shelter for fathers and children that was also over capacity. |
| Some families have been at the Madre Asunta shelter for months, having been returned to Mexico by American immigration authorities with instructions to show up at the San Ysidro, Calif., port of entry at dawn on the day of their immigration hearing to be transported to court. | Some families have been at the Madre Asunta shelter for months, having been returned to Mexico by American immigration authorities with instructions to show up at the San Ysidro, Calif., port of entry at dawn on the day of their immigration hearing to be transported to court. |
| But there have been fewer people seeking shelter there in recent weeks, Ms. Contini said, suggesting that the number of migrants arriving at America’s doorstep may also be declining. | But there have been fewer people seeking shelter there in recent weeks, Ms. Contini said, suggesting that the number of migrants arriving at America’s doorstep may also be declining. |
| The flow of migrants normally dips during the summer, when temperatures climb into the triple digits along some parts of the border. But the precipitous decline last month could signal a new trend. | The flow of migrants normally dips during the summer, when temperatures climb into the triple digits along some parts of the border. But the precipitous decline last month could signal a new trend. |
| “The United States policy to return people to Mexico and the pressure on Mexico to stop the migration are having a big impact,” said Daniel Bribiescas, an immigration lawyer in Tijuana. | “The United States policy to return people to Mexico and the pressure on Mexico to stop the migration are having a big impact,” said Daniel Bribiescas, an immigration lawyer in Tijuana. |
| The policy calling for returning migrants to Mexico if they had arrived at the southern border by land, announced in late January, was intended to prevent asylum seekers from spending years in the United States while they await the outcome of their immigration court cases. | The policy calling for returning migrants to Mexico if they had arrived at the southern border by land, announced in late January, was intended to prevent asylum seekers from spending years in the United States while they await the outcome of their immigration court cases. |
| More than 18,000 migrants, including asylum seekers, have been returned to Tijuana and other Mexican cities since the policy was implemented, according to Mexico’s National Migration Institute. Officially called Migrant Protection Protocols, the policy was introduced in Tijuana and has since been expanded to other parts of the border. On Tuesday, the program took effect in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, in the state of Tamaulipas, when 10 Cubans and Venezuelans were sent back across the border from the city of Laredo, Tex. | More than 18,000 migrants, including asylum seekers, have been returned to Tijuana and other Mexican cities since the policy was implemented, according to Mexico’s National Migration Institute. Officially called Migrant Protection Protocols, the policy was introduced in Tijuana and has since been expanded to other parts of the border. On Tuesday, the program took effect in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, in the state of Tamaulipas, when 10 Cubans and Venezuelans were sent back across the border from the city of Laredo, Tex. |
| The policy initially targeted Central Americans, who have formed the largest share of migrants seeking refuge in the United States since 2014. It has grown to include migrants from other countries, such as Cuba and Venezuela. Typically, the migrants have received court dates several months after arriving at the border, stranding them in Mexico for many months. Some of those who have recently arrived are being given court dates in October. | The policy initially targeted Central Americans, who have formed the largest share of migrants seeking refuge in the United States since 2014. It has grown to include migrants from other countries, such as Cuba and Venezuela. Typically, the migrants have received court dates several months after arriving at the border, stranding them in Mexico for many months. Some of those who have recently arrived are being given court dates in October. |
| Mexico’s own heightened border security is also having an effect. To make good on a deal struck with President Trump last month to avert trade tariffs, more than 20,000 Mexican security forces, including members Mexico’s newly-formed National Guard, have been deployed throughout Mexico’s southern and northern border states. | Mexico’s own heightened border security is also having an effect. To make good on a deal struck with President Trump last month to avert trade tariffs, more than 20,000 Mexican security forces, including members Mexico’s newly-formed National Guard, have been deployed throughout Mexico’s southern and northern border states. |
| At well-traveled but typically unguarded crossing points, the Mexican authorities have been intercepting buses traveling along major migrant corridors. In Tijuana, Mexican officers have been stopping and arresting migrants who do not have papers to prove that they can legally remain in the country. | At well-traveled but typically unguarded crossing points, the Mexican authorities have been intercepting buses traveling along major migrant corridors. In Tijuana, Mexican officers have been stopping and arresting migrants who do not have papers to prove that they can legally remain in the country. |
| The International Organization for Migration began last week to provide free bus service from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, for those willing to return to Guatemala and Honduras. Buses left last week carrying 67 migrants back home. A second group of 70 people boarded buses on Tuesday. The United Nations agency plans to begin offering similar bus service from Tijuana in the coming days. | The International Organization for Migration began last week to provide free bus service from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, for those willing to return to Guatemala and Honduras. Buses left last week carrying 67 migrants back home. A second group of 70 people boarded buses on Tuesday. The United Nations agency plans to begin offering similar bus service from Tijuana in the coming days. |
| None of those transported on the I.O.M. buses were seeking asylum in the United States, an agency official said. | None of those transported on the I.O.M. buses were seeking asylum in the United States, an agency official said. |
| Meanwhile, at least one commercial bus company has begun offering direct service from Tijuana to Tapachula, a Mexican city close to the Guatemalan border. | Meanwhile, at least one commercial bus company has begun offering direct service from Tijuana to Tapachula, a Mexican city close to the Guatemalan border. |
| Dozens of migrants who said they were considering the possibility of returning home jammed a small travel agency in Tijuana on Monday. | Dozens of migrants who said they were considering the possibility of returning home jammed a small travel agency in Tijuana on Monday. |
| Jenaro Mejia, 54, an asylum seeker from Honduras, said that his first court hearing in the United States was set for Aug. 5. “We don’t know if we will win asylum or not,” he said. Faced with the uncertainty and the prospect of languishing for several more months in Mexico, Mr. Mejia said he planned to go home and would not return. “We have contacted family to buy us tickets,” said Mr. Mejia, as his son Fabio, 15, bleary-eyed from exhaustion, stood by his side. | Jenaro Mejia, 54, an asylum seeker from Honduras, said that his first court hearing in the United States was set for Aug. 5. “We don’t know if we will win asylum or not,” he said. Faced with the uncertainty and the prospect of languishing for several more months in Mexico, Mr. Mejia said he planned to go home and would not return. “We have contacted family to buy us tickets,” said Mr. Mejia, as his son Fabio, 15, bleary-eyed from exhaustion, stood by his side. |
| But most migrants said they could not afford the 3,000 peso, or about $155, one-way fare for a bus ticket back to Central America; their money already had gone to pay smugglers who had guided them to the United States. “Some of us sold our land to realize the dream of coming here. We don’t have the money for a ticket home,” said Carlos Mauricio Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant whose first court hearing was set for Oct. 4. | But most migrants said they could not afford the 3,000 peso, or about $155, one-way fare for a bus ticket back to Central America; their money already had gone to pay smugglers who had guided them to the United States. “Some of us sold our land to realize the dream of coming here. We don’t have the money for a ticket home,” said Carlos Mauricio Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant whose first court hearing was set for Oct. 4. |
| Critics have said that the remain-in-Mexico policy endangers migrants who fled violence in their home countries in search of safe haven, because Mexican border cities are also often unsafe. In addition, the program makes it difficult for migrants to secure an American lawyer to represent them before an immigration judge, undermining their ability to successfully petition for asylum in the United States. | Critics have said that the remain-in-Mexico policy endangers migrants who fled violence in their home countries in search of safe haven, because Mexican border cities are also often unsafe. In addition, the program makes it difficult for migrants to secure an American lawyer to represent them before an immigration judge, undermining their ability to successfully petition for asylum in the United States. |
| At the shelter in San Diego, arrivals have been down all week — only five migrant families arrived each day on Monday and on Tuesday. | At the shelter in San Diego, arrivals have been down all week — only five migrant families arrived each day on Monday and on Tuesday. |
| “Homeland Security keeps enrolling those seeking asylum in Migration Protection Protocols despite the ability and willingness of nonprofits in the United States to continue to serve the migrants,” said Ms. Clark, the official with Jewish Family Service. | “Homeland Security keeps enrolling those seeking asylum in Migration Protection Protocols despite the ability and willingness of nonprofits in the United States to continue to serve the migrants,” said Ms. Clark, the official with Jewish Family Service. |
| Only nationals from countries such as India, China and Russia, countries whose citizens are not subjected to the policy, continue to trickle in, she said. The only exceptions among Latin Americans are those who have a child or another family member with a serious medical issue. A Honduran man who identified himself only as Jonnie arrived with his 4-year-old girl, who was suffering from advanced scoliosis for which he said she was in critical need of surgery. | Only nationals from countries such as India, China and Russia, countries whose citizens are not subjected to the policy, continue to trickle in, she said. The only exceptions among Latin Americans are those who have a child or another family member with a serious medical issue. A Honduran man who identified himself only as Jonnie arrived with his 4-year-old girl, who was suffering from advanced scoliosis for which he said she was in critical need of surgery. |
| Another Honduran, who identified herself as Seila, said that she was allowed to proceed to the shelter with her two children because her husband, Edwin, had contracted a mysterious infection and had been hospitalized in San Diego. | Another Honduran, who identified herself as Seila, said that she was allowed to proceed to the shelter with her two children because her husband, Edwin, had contracted a mysterious infection and had been hospitalized in San Diego. |