Migrant crossings across the U.S.-Mexico border have declined over the past five months. The Biden Administration signed an executive order in June to limit migrant crossings and moderated the eligibility for migrants seeking asylum.
Biden issued the executive order after a bipartisan immigration bill failed in following pressure from former President Donald Trump not to pass the bill.
According to the Texas Tribune, during the month of June, migrants apprehended by federal authorities have decreased to 43% across border regions in Texas.
This trending decline has affected the El Paso border region according to the volunteer organization Annunciation House.
The Annunciation House is one of the few organizations that houses migrants and provides opportunities for hospitality.
The efforts of the Annunciation House are more than providing a place for migrants to sleep and find shelter. Volunteers provide migrants with sponsors, cooked meals, fresh changes of clothes, a place to shower, and a place for migrants to sleep and feel safe at night.
Kenzie Spigner, a year-long volunteer at the Annunciation House started her volunteerism with the organization this month and has seen the constraints of Biden’s executive order.
“It’s definitely been reduced drastically at a time where we would have been getting migrants every day in large numbers,” Spigner said. “We’re only getting maybe one or two families that are coming and it’s kind of sporadic throughout the week, so it’s not as consistent as it used to be either.”
Data from U.S Customs and Border Protection, shows that, across all demographics of those who crossed from December of 2023 to July of this year, has declined from 250,000 to 100,000.
Justine McCoy, a full-time volunteer at the Annunciation House, speaks about what she has seen from the recent migrant discourse.
McCoy talked about the difficulties the organization faced prior to Biden’s executive order.
“I’ve been here for years and there’s been ups and downs, but it’s never ever been like this,” McCoy said. “There’s times where we have people camping out all over the street and wait where we have the hotels full of people and the city pitches in and tries to help, but it’s never ever been like this.”
False statements made about migrants being criminals and dangerous whilst in the middle of a presidential election cycle, and claims of massive border surges perpetuated by Trump during his term, has stirred much worry to those living in border regions.
McCoy spoke on these false statements regarding migrants made by Trump.
“Trump is out of his mind,” McCoy said. “He’s making up stories, making up lies.”
McCoy stated that one of the houses closed in late June.
“The Annunciation House isn’t the only shelter that’s potentially having to close because of the decline in numbers and that also provides a new problem because a lot of these shelters won’t be able to reopen,” Spinger said. “If the numbers were to go back up, that will create another crisis where there’s not enough places for people to go when they cross the border.”
According to the Texas Tribune, on Feb. 7, the Consumer Protection Division of the attorney general’s office started an investigation on the Annunciation House requesting documents.
The Annunciation House responded with an extension to see what documentation could be sent, but the state denied this action which led the House to sue Texas. Additionally, the House pursued a restraining order on Ken Paxton who in return is suing them.
The Attorney General’s office is in the process of appealing July’s ruling by Judge Dominguez.
The Annunciation House did not comment on the standing of this lawsuit.
More information on the Annunciation House can be found on the Annunciation House website: https://annunciationhouse.org/our-work-b-a-e/ .
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
