Increased Troop Deployment at California’s US-Mexico Border Amid a Decline in Illegal Crossings
The flow of cross-border traffic between Tijuana and San Diego has dwindled significantly as pro-immigration protests arise in sanctuary cities across the region.
SAN DIEGO—Foot traffic from Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego at the San Ysidro port of entry reduced to a mere trickle last week due to the Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies.
Since President Donald Trump took office at noon on Jan. 20, he has enacted a series of executive actions aimed at resolving the Biden-era border situation, enhancing national security, and reducing illegal immigration.
Typically, pedestrians entering the U.S. from Mexico endure long waits in lines that can extend several blocks before reaching the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checkpoints. However, on Jan. 29, an Epoch Times photojournalist managed to cross from Mexico into the United States in about five minutes.
Vendors along the route reported low sales of snacks and souvenirs.
“Not busy at all today,” remarked one woman selling bottled water to The Epoch Times. “Yesterday was similar.”
The San Ysidro port of entry is the busiest in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere, averaging 70,000 northbound vehicles and 20,000 northbound pedestrians daily, alongside southbound traffic, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the Government Services Administration.
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One American citizen residing in Tijuana, who works at a restaurant in San Diego, shared with The Epoch Times, under anonymity, that foot traffic has significantly decreased. Furthermore, a U.S. Border Patrol agent noted a marked drop in illegal border crossings as well.
Military Presence
Manny Bayon, president of the National Border Patrol Council union in San Diego, mentioned that U.S. Marines started installing layers of razor wire along the border east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Feb. 5.
“We’re just beginning,” he stated. “We mean business. We have to ensure the safety of the United States.”
Bayon remarked that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision to send 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops is a clear indication of an ongoing issue, which Mexico aims to address from their side.
“She says she supports us, which is reassuring after a long wait for backing,” Bayon added. “We are sending a signal that we will prioritize the security of our nation.”
Throughout the Biden administration, more than 11.2 million unauthorized individuals entered the United States—excluding “gotaways” who eluded Border Patrol agents—according to CBP statistics.
Migrants who passed through a gap in the United States border wall awaiting processing by Border Patrol agents in Jacumba, Calif., on Dec. 5, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
During fiscal year 2024, from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024, the nation witnessed approximately 2.9 million apprehensions of illegal and inadmissible individuals, down from 3.2 million in 2023 and about 2.8 million in 2022.
For over a year, San Diego County has remained a hub for illegal border crossings.
As of Feb. 3, Border Patrol sources indicated that there were 864 illegal aliens in custody within the San Diego sector, accounting for more than half of the 1,538 total nationwide, which included individuals from India (209), Guatemala (207), Mexico (185), and China (143).
On Jan. 31, multiple U.S. Marines deployed coils of razor wire along the border wall separating Tijuana from San Diego, complicating climbing attempts, while maintaining a “low visibility” presence in the vicinity, according to The Associated Press.
The Epoch Times conducted a visit to known illegal crossing locations in the San Diego area on Jan. 29, observing some military presence but no signs of illegal migrants.
Military Troops Deployed
On Jan. 22, Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced that the Department of Defense (DOD) would deploy 1,500 active-duty service members along with additional air and intelligence resources to support existing troops carrying out enforcement activities in that sector.
The deployed 1,500 troops—1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines initially on standby in Southern California due to potential wildfire responses in Los Angeles County—were reassigned for the installation of physical barriers and other border operations, according to a senior military official.
“The president directed me to take all suitable measures to aid the secretary of homeland security in achieving complete operational control of the southern U.S. border,” the statement declared.
The Pentagon has since set up a joint task force to facilitate the rapid implementation of border-related executive directives, with U.S. Northern Command leading the charge, supported by U.S. Transportation Command, the National Guard Bureau, military divisions, and the DHS.
With 2,500 active-duty personnel already stationed in the region, the addition of 1,500 troops accounts for a 60 percent rise in active-duty forces since Trump’s inauguration, Salesses mentioned.
Moreover, the DOD will assist with airlift support for DHS-operated flights dealing with the deportation of over 5,000 individuals apprehended by CBP in both the San Diego and El Paso border sectors, as Salesses stated.
“President Trump has prompted [DOD] action to safeguard our borders and emphasized the necessity for immediate results. This is precisely what our military is accomplishing under his leadership,” Salesses noted.
Protesters oppose the Trump administration’s border policies in Escondido, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2025. Audra Morgan/Eye of the Storm
Opposition to Trump’s Orders
At one illegal crossing location between the primary and secondary border walls, known as Whiskey 8, tents operated by pro-immigrant groups like Alliance San Diego remained empty but were stocked with food and water for potential border-crossers.
In an open letter dated Jan. 20, the alliance declared that Trump’s signing of “numerous fear-inducing executive orders on his first day, including those aimed at expelling immigrants and sealing the border” has fostered “fear and anxiety” within immigrant communities.
The alliance asserted that the president’s actions threaten immigrant communities and undermine their ability to attend school, work, and visit families and friends in Tijuana.
“We recognize that these threats have historically persisted amid an inhumane enforcement regime that has never fully dissipated,” the letter continued.
The group aims to safeguard human rights and “mobilize our community to forge an inclusive democracy anchored in dignity” through “community engagement, policy advocacy, legal assistance, effective communication strategies, and leadership development.”
“We unite to speak our truths and rally the community to hold accountable those who perpetuate bigotry and aggressiveness at every governmental level,” the letter asserted.
Alliance San Diego, along with other advocacy organizations, including religious charities, is distributing “Know Your Rights” cards, often referred to as “red cards,” which instruct illegal immigrants on their rights not to cooperate with CBP or ICE agents without a valid warrant and to first contact an attorney.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is also promoting these red cards via a link to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center on their website.
Protesters oppose the Trump administration’s border policies in Escondido, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2025. Audra Morgan/Eye of the Storm
Anti-ICE Protests
Meanwhile, demonstrations against Trump’s executive actions calling for large-scale deportations along the U.S.-Mexico border have taken place in National City, Escondido, downtown San Diego, and Los Angeles over recent days, with more anticipated.
On Feb. 2, hundreds of protestors, some adorned with Mexican flags, obstructed the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles.
In Escondido, on Feb. 2, a sign held by one demonstrator read, “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” Others stated, “Nobody is illegal on stolen land,” “School is for education, not deportation,” “Borders are imaginary, people are real,” and “Borderz -R-Colonial.”
Audra Morgan, a resident of San Diego County and a local activist supporting Trump’s deportation order, informed The Epoch Times that over 200 protestors held a peaceful assembly in Escondido on Feb. 2.
While numerous demonstrators carried Mexican flags, Morgan expressed that the border crisis extends beyond just Mexican nationals.
“The narrative focuses heavily on Mexicans, yet many others are crossing the border from diverse countries. It’s a complicated situation,” she said.
“This event was necessary, allowing the Border Patrol to execute their duties,” she asserted.
Looking forward, Morgan anticipates that federal resources disbursed to NGOs aiding illegal immigrants will soon diminish and expresses hope that Trump will cease funding to sanctuary locations.
“I find that positive,” she remarked. “It’s crucial to eliminate these NGOs at their source as they are key in enabling this situation. The government seems to rely on them for unaccountable actions,” Morgan elaborated.
She lamented how the previous Biden administration, along with NGOs and local authorities, have continuously played the blame game about the border issue for the past four years.
“Everyone is deflecting responsibility, wanting to shift the blame,” she stated.
“The county has frequently supported them, providing assistance, and funding these efforts.”
“Now, they’re trying to pass it on to the federal government as their issue,” she added. “It’s quite convoluted.”
According to Morgan, Trump’s executive orders are essential to halt the influx of illegal immigrants into the U.S. “as we seek to address the ramifications of this situation,” she said.
She believes that the Trump administration must focus on deporting those who have committed serious crimes while recognizing that all individuals who enter illegally have committed a federal violation.
Protesters with Mexican flags oppose the Trump administration’s border policies in Escondido, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2025. Audra Morgan/Eye of the Storm
Amy Reichert, a local activist and co-founder of Restore San Diego, shared with The Epoch Times that she has received numerous messages filled with extreme negativity for suggesting that protestors wave American flags instead of foreign ones.
“I doubt it would be received well in Tijuana if a large group of Americans displaying American flags blocked a thoroughfare,” she noted. “These individuals advocate for open borders, claiming borders are fictional and the idea of ownership is flawed. I receive messages calling for a reversal of American sovereignty,” she mentioned.
Reichert expressed concern that these protests could further polarize the nation.
She finds arguments that dismiss the legitimacy of borders or advocate for the protection of violent offenders unreasonable.
According to Reichert, her group primarily focuses on the implications for national security and public safety stemming from the Biden administration’s “open border” narratives.
Even though a majority of Americans support the deportation of individuals convicted of violent crimes, she doubts Trump will secure enough backing to deport all illegal immigrants.
Despite Trump campaigning vigorously on addressing the border crisis and executing mass removals, she believes there is a lack of public resolve for such measures.
“I just don’t think most Americans have the unwavering will to deport every undocumented individual,” she claimed, “and I’m not convinced that will actually happen.”
Amy Reichert attends a San Diego Board of Supervisors meeting in San Diego, Calif., on Dec. 10, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells asserted in a Jan. 28 statement, preceding an unsuccessful city council resolution he proposed to support federal deportation endeavors, that public safety remains his primary concern.
“We will not provide refuge for criminals and will take necessary measures to protect our community,” Wells stated, following a recent meeting with Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s designated border czar.
“For too long, California’s Sanctuary State policies have shielded illegal criminals, jeopardizing law-abiding citizens. These policies obstruct local law enforcement from collaborating with federal authorities, enabling dangerous individuals to linger in our communities. This must change,” Wells emphasized in his statement.
The resolution aimed at allowing El Cajon police officers to team up with federal immigration authorities for the deportation of criminal aliens was ultimately rejected, with a vote of 3-2 on Jan. 28.
On Feb. 5, Pam Bondi was formally sworn in as U.S. Attorney General.
During her oath of office ceremony, Bondi pledged to “restore integrity within the justice system” and “make America safe again.”
Trump stated she would handle matters fairly and commit to eradicating fentanyl from the streets.
Additionally, Bondi directed the Department of Justice to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities.
A couple people prepare to enter the United States from Tijuana, Mexico into San Ysidro, Calif., on Jan. 29, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
CBP One App
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it had disabled the scheduling feature in the CBP One mobile application immediately following Trump’s inauguration at noon on Jan. 20, notifying illegal immigrants of the cancellation of their appointments.
Previously, individuals were able to enter advanced information and schedule appointments at eight southwestern border ports. CBP confirmed that all appointments were canceled in a statement released Jan. 21.
John Fredricks contributed to this report.
