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Even Nogales Mayor Juan Francisco Gim Nogales confessed that their expectations were completely off.
“We receive 60 migrants on average. So, nothing to do with the number we expected and with all the infrastructure we prepared,” the mayor said in an earlier interview with Fox News Digital.
It’s proof that the chaos predicted by Trump’s critics never materialized. Mexico geared up for a crisis — and instead found order.
Cartels Feeling the Squeeze
Perhaps the most striking revelation is how Trump’s border crackdown has slammed the brakes on drug trafficking. Locals say the difference under Trump’s policies is staggering compared to the lawlessness under Biden’s watch.
“Drug trafficking has been controlled a lot, there’s barely any now. It’s not like it used to be,” Filiberto explained.
Juan, who owns a restaurant in Nogales, described a major improvement in daily life.
“We’ve gone through very tough times because, although right now — this past year, these last two years — there’s been some calm in terms of insecurity, in earlier times we had a lot of problems,” Juan told Fox News Digital.
For border communities long tormented by cartels, the change feels like a miracle.
Caravans Shrink to a Trickle
Gone are the days of headlines about endless migrant caravans snaking toward the U.S. border. Under Trump, those human waves have dramatically receded.
“The [number of] people who used to come from the south in caravans have decreased a lot. In fact, we’ve never had as much calm as we do today,” food vendor Juan said.¹
Mexico’s National Guard, once criticized for being passive during migrant surges, is now actively patrolling. People are thinking twice before risking an illegal crossing.
“There aren’t as many people wanting to cross the border anymore… There used to be a lot, but things have calmed down a lot,” Juan explained.¹
Local merchant Mario didn’t mince words about the change in migrant attitudes.
“There are not that many people that want to cross anymore. With what Trump is doing, people are starting to think about going back or staying put.”¹
That’s deterrence in action — something critics claimed was impossible.
Border Numbers Drop to Historic Lows
In a sign of how seriously Trump’s administration is taking border security, the Pentagon has carved out a new 250-mile National Defense Area in Texas. The result? Border crossings have plummeted to historic lows.
Businesses and citizens on the Mexican side are seeing the change firsthand.
“There are not that many people that want to cross anymore,” one entrepreneur setting up her storefront said.¹
Even the bustling ports of entry have slowed to a crawl.
Angelica, a local flower shop owner, said while some people still try to cross, the numbers are way down. “I think maybe fewer people are crossing, but there are still some. Many people don’t stop trying,” she said.¹
Unlike the days of “catch-and-release” under Biden, migrants now face real consequences — and it’s making a difference.
America’s Border is Back
For years, left-wing politicians and media outlets painted Trump’s immigration stance as cruel and doomed to fail. But the reality unfolding in Mexican towns like Nogales tells the true story: fewer migrants, less drug trafficking, and communities finally feeling secure.
Mexican leaders built an infrastructure expecting a tidal wave of deportees and found themselves staring at empty facilities. Business owners who once lived in fear of cartel violence now speak of peace returning to their streets. And migrants are staying put because they know Trump’s America isn’t playing games.
Under Trump’s leadership, the border isn’t just a line on a map — it’s a line that matters. And for communities on both sides of it, that’s a welcome change.
