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The United States-Mexico border has been calmer than usual under President Donald Trump but still faces challenges from criminal gangs, according to a senior Border Patrol official.
The Republican leader vowed to "seal the border" and has taken action including suspending asylum at the border and deploying additional military forces to bolster security. March recorded the lowest southwest border crossings in history—around 7,180, compared with the monthly average of 155,000 from the previous four years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures on April 1 showed.
Sean McGoffin, chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, told Newsweek that the agency still has work to do to, however, with cartels developing new tactics to smuggle humans, drugs and other contraband items into the U.S. "We don't want anything coming across that border—narcotics, weapons, money, any of that type of stuff," he said.
A critical component in deterring unlawful border crossings has been the reinstatement of the "Remain in Mexico" policy, officially Migrant Protection Protocols, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. immigration court hearings. Initially implemented in 2019, it was reinstated in January.
"The message is clear: the border is closed to illegal crossings," CBP's Acting Commissioner Pete Flores said earlier this month. However, humanitarian groups warn that such policies come at a price.
'Desperate Measures'
"Our concern is that with the difficulty, or even the impossibility, of entry in the unforeseeable future, migrants will take desperate measures to cross the border," Brad Jones of Arizona-based nonprofit Humane Borders told Newsweek. "By this I mean migrants may choose to cross in very dangerous locations and this kind of crossing behavior is associated with a massive increase in the risk of physical trauma or death. We've seen this in the past and would expect to see it happen again going forward. But right now, the border has been and remains quiet."
"It's really tough on us because the human side of this that we [see] goes unseen, the human stories you have to hear about; you get there in time only for the person to die...in your arms, or you don't get there in time," McGoffin said. "You see these people [in] some of the most miserable and terrible conditions, or you're dealing with a young lady who's been raped and just distraught...[or you're] dealing with kids left by themselves. There's just a lot to the job that I think people don't realize, and I think it's important to note that there's a human element," he said.
The southern border also continues to be targeted by criminal organizations. As U.S. policies have become more aggressive, cartels have adapted their ways of bringing contraband into the country, including by use of drones. Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican drug cartels and other groups like Venezuelan crime syndicate Tren de Aragua as terrorist organizations, stating that such groups "threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere."
McGoffin supports this move. "The cartels, they're not going to just stop making money. They're going to find other ways and means to do so, and so smuggling narcotics is just another enterprise that they're involved in, as well as smuggling of migrants into the United States illegally," he said. "We still have to be vigilant and prepared for the unexpected because they will change tactics in how they do business."
Cartel coyotes, or human smugglers, and lone wolves seek gaps in the border to maintain cartels' business. "They may not have a direct tie to the cartels, but they're still facilitating the train of the cartels and receiving money from cartel members," McGoffin said. "Everybody that can fall within the means of prosecution will be prosecuted."
CBP's Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham told Newsweek: "Cartels recklessly endanger the lives of illegal aliens they smuggle for their own financial gain. They show no regard for human life and have a history of abandoning aliens in remote and dangerous areas. Increased enforcement saves lives: As the number of illegal crossings on the southwest border goes down, so do mortalities." He added that the sharp decline in these crossings under Trump "allows our law enforcement personnel to get back to doing law enforcement work, which includes...stopping cartels from moving illegal aliens and drugs across the border."
Military Presence
The Trump administration has deployed thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl—a leading killer of Americans. According to the CDC, drug overdose deaths rose to 107,941 in 2022 from around 52,000 in 2015. Provisional 2023 data shows a slight decline in overdose deaths but the trend over the past decade indicates a steady rise.
In Arizona, U.S. troops have been tasked with increasing border security, deploying drones and conducting surveillance. "The military is starting to show up here in Arizona, and we're going to deploy those," McGoffin told Newsweek in March. "That gives us more eyes on the border, more availability to see and be in front of things, and even provide a bigger consequence when they see more people and more resources along the border."
Tennessee Representative Mark Green, chair of the GOP-led House Committee on Homeland Security, urged Congress to provide more resources to further secure the border. "There is no doubt, President Trump's swift and decisive action saved our nation from the worst border crisis in history," he told Newsweek. "Now that President Trump has reempowered Border Patrol agents and CBP officers to enforce longstanding law and carry out their missions, Congress must ensure they have the resources and tools they need to keep Americans safe and our borders secure," Green said.
Texas has emerged as a leader in aggressive border enforcement. Under Governor Greg Abbott, the Republican state launched "Operation Lone Star," combining the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety to apprehend migrants and disrupt cartel operations.
This has led to thousands of arrests and the seizure of millions of dollars worth of drugs. Abbott has vowed to continue these efforts, coordinating closely with the Trump administration.
He previously clashed with former President Joe Biden over how to prevent migrants crossing into the state.
Texas officials argue that they have created a model for other states to follow despite immigration enforcement being the federal government's responsibility. "Texas finally has a partner in the White House to secure the border. The governor directed all state agencies to coordinate with the Trump administration on border security, deployed Department of Public Safety Tactical Strike Teams to support homeland security operations and authorized the Texas National Guard to make immigration arrests," Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, told Newsweek.
"Texas held the line against the Biden-Harris border crisis for the past four years, and Governor Abbott looks forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump and his administration to protect our state and the nation." By contrast, California Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized Trump's hardline tactics, arguing for a balance with protecting human rights.
His state has seen a sharp decline in illegal crossings, but its border remains a hot spot for drug trafficking. State and federal agents have increased inspections at ports of entry, leading to record seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Democrat Newsom has pledged to work with federal authorities to curb smuggling while ensuring fair treatment of asylum seekers.
In 2024, Newsom more than doubled California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force as part of a four-year, $60 million strategy to prevent drug trafficking. In February it emerged that $300 million worth of illicit fentanyl had been intercepted in the state since 2023. Last month, officials said more than 650,000 fentanyl pills had been seized so far this year. "Cal Guard's Counter Drug Task Force continues to save countless lives across our state," Newsom said.
Call for Reform
California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones told Newsweek: "The border situation has greatly improved under the new administration with illegal border crossings down by 94 percent compared to last year. That's a huge improvement. However, serious problems remain, especially with human and drug trafficking. More must be done. This crisis can't be solved by the administration alone. Congress must act and pass comprehensive immigration reform to secure the border once and for all."
As the U.S. continues to tackle illegal immigration and contraband, the question remains: What new strategies will be required to secure the border in a rapidly changing world?
