- ‘No migrant is a criminal. We are not murderers. We want to migrate to the US to move forward like anyone else and give our family a better quality of life,’ says Alexis Diaz Trillo, an asylum seeker from Peru
- ‘After crossing seven countries, crossing the Darien Jungle, Trump won’t stop me,’ says Venezuelan migrant Freddy Jesus Mirand
MEXICO CITY
On Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office for a second term, reviving his hardline immigration agenda that promises a sealed border and mass deportations.
This pledge casts a long shadow over thousands of migrants journeying northward, clinging to the hope of a new life in the US.
In a modest shelter nestled in the heart of Mexico City, asylum seekers anxiously wait for their appointments through CBP One — a digital portal that schedules asylum interviews with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the US-Mexico border.
“I have to arrive soon in the US to apply for mine and my family’s asylum because they are also in danger,” Jairo, a Colombian immigrant, told Anadolu.
Once a military sergeant in Colombia’s armed forces, Jairo now works as a cook in Mexico City while awaiting his CBP One appointment. The 58-year-old from Valledupar fled Colombia after members of a notorious paramilitary group, the Black Eagles, threatened him and his wife, demanding extortion payments.
“Every minute that passes here is a danger to my family,” Jairo stressed, his voice heavy with urgency.
For asylum seekers like Jairo, US immigration policy is a matter of life and death. A study by the University of Michigan found that nearly half – 48% – of immigrants have faced gun-related threats or violence before migrating.
Yet, Trump’s return to the presidency brings uncertainty. His proposed immigration policies target not only undocumented migrants, but also legal pathways like CBP One and humanitarian parole programs, threatening to dismantle critical lifelines for those escaping violence.
Still, Jairo holds onto hope. “I think Trump is going to limit the entry of people, but he’s not going after people like me. He’s not going to take away asylum; that is a right that every country has for people facing persecution.”
However, Trump’s rhetoric suggests otherwise. He has vowed to expand immigration crackdowns, potentially including those who entered the US legally through CBP One and humanitarian parole programs designed for migrants from countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela.
Since its launch in January 2023, more than 860,000 asylum seekers have used CBP One to gain legal entry into the US, as of October 2024.
‘We are not murderers’
For many migrants, Trump’s promises have stirred fear and confusion.
“Right now, there’s a lot of negativity and rumors going around. People are saying that he might eliminate the CBP One appointment system, he might close the borders and many other things,” said Alexis Diaz Trillo, a 30-year-old asylum seeker from Peru.
“But the truth is, we won’t know for sure until he actually takes office.”
Trillo fled his country due to violence and repression under the government of President Dina Boluarte, who assumed power after the ousting of Pedro Castillo in December 2023.
Now waiting in Mexico City for his CBP One appointment, Trillo tries to remain calm despite the swirling uncertainty.
History offers a mixed record: although Trump was known for his anti-immigration stance, his administration deported fewer people – 1.2 million – than both Barack Obama, who deported over 3 million, and Joe Biden, whose administration has overseen a record 4.7 million deportations, largely due to Title 42 – an anti-immigration policy from Trump’s first term.
“No migrant is a criminal. We are not murderers. We want to migrate to the US to move forward like anyone else and give our family a better quality of life,” said Trillo.
Trillo’s journey has been fraught with danger. As an irregular migrant, he has faced threats from criminal groups in Tapachula, a border city in southeastern Mexico notorious for violence against migrants. Tapachula, due to its proximity to Guatemala, has become a hub for organized crime that preys on vulnerable migrants, turning human suffering into profit.
“I was being threatened with death over there in Tapachula. It’s a very dangerous place. One time, I went to buy dinner, and they put a machete to my throat and stole the last 50 pesos ($2.50) I had on me,” he recounted.
‘Did you fall? Well, now get up’
Freddy Jesus Miranda, a 55-year-old Venezuelan from El Tigre, knows the high cost of survival.
“I paid a ransom of $500,” Miranda said, recalling how he was kidnapped by criminal groups during his migration. “I had to pay quickly, because if I waited two or three more days, they were going to increase it by $1,000 a day.”
Miranda, a father of three and a former electrician, fled Venezuela in 2024 after he and his son – a vocal critic of President Nicolas Maduro on local radio – survived what he believes was a politically motivated attack.
“My boy went against the government, and while we were in the car, they shot at us four times. So, we had to migrate,” Miranda explained.
Now in Mexico City, Miranda is also awaiting his CBP One appointment, hoping to reach the US before Trump implements harsher restrictions.
“I mean, we need to accept it. He already won the presidency. I mean, you need to move forward. As we say, did you fall? Well, now get up,” he said.
Despite carrying physical and emotional scars from the torture he endured during his abduction, Miranda remains steadfast in his determination.
“After everything I’ve been through, what will (Trump) tell me? After crossing seven countries, crossing the Darien Jungle, Trump won’t stop me,” he added defiantly.
