Migrants anxious over fate of asylum appointments as Trump’s inauguration nears

With Donald Trump set to return to the White House and renew his promise of mass deportations, migrants in Mexico are growing increasingly worried about the fate of their asylum appointments.

Many of these appointments, scheduled with U.S. authorities via the CBP One app, fall on or after Trump’s inauguration on January 20. For some migrants, this uncertainty has sparked despair.

“There is a kind of sense of despair,” said Yusmelis Villalobos, a Venezuelan migrant with a January 23 appointment, speaking from Tapachula near the Guatemalan border.

Uncertainty and Fear
The fear of Trump fulfilling his promises looms large. Dayana Hernandez, another Venezuelan migrant, noted, “It’s no secret that sometimes when Donald Trump says things, he does them.”

Hernandez expressed concern about returning to her country, particularly after the contested inauguration of Nicolás Maduro for a third term as president in Venezuela.

“We really don’t know what to do, whether to go back or keep going forward,” she said, adding an emotional appeal to Trump: “Just as there are bad people, there are good people who want to work.”

Trump has already pledged the largest deportation in U.S. history and accused immigrants of “poisoning the blood of our country.” His first term saw significant pressure on Mexico to stem the flow of Central American migrants to the U.S.

Challenges in Tapachula
Tapachula, a southern Mexican city near the Guatemalan border, has become a critical bottleneck. Hundreds of migrants are waiting for permits to travel north to the U.S. border. Without these permits, they risk detention by Mexican authorities.

Some, frustrated by delays, have joined caravans heading north despite the dangers of hunger, exhaustion, and exposure to harsh weather. Others await asylum appointments through CBP One, an app introduced during President Joe Biden’s administration to regulate migration.

Hopes Amid Uncertainty
Anais Rojas, a 20-year-old Venezuelan traveling with her young son, also has a January 23 appointment but remains anxious about its status under Trump’s presidency. “Thank God we got the appointment, but of course things are still uncertain,” she said.

Rojas, however, expressed a tempered view of Trump. “If the economy is better, it benefits us too,” she remarked, suggesting that his policies could inadvertently help migrants if they boost U.S. prosperity.

As Trump prepares to take office, migrants like Rojas and Hernandez face an uncertain future, caught between political promises and their pursuit of safety and stability.