Venezuelan migrant Josnexcy Martinez, who is currently staying at a shelter in El Paso, Texas, expressed her concerns over the recent executive actions by President Donald Trump aimed at overhauling immigration. Despite entering the U.S. legally through the CBP One app, which allowed her to schedule an appointment with U.S. officials for temporary residency, Martinez fears being caught in a raid targeting migrants.
Trump, who began his second term with a series of aggressive immigration policies, signed orders declaring a "national emergency" at the southern border and announced additional troop deployments. He also vowed to deport "criminal aliens," moves that have sparked widespread anxiety among immigrant communities.
Martinez, 28, who fled Venezuela with her five-year-old son, had been granted temporary status to remain in the U.S. until her asylum case is heard. However, the cancellation of the CBP One app by the new administration has left her feeling uncertain and constantly on edge.
"My fear is that I will be arrested in a raid, by a police officer or someone from immigration, and that they will ask me for my papers," Martinez said, showing the identification issued to her by U.S. authorities.
Karina Breceda, who runs the shelter where Martinez resides, warned that Trump's policies may lead to racial profiling. "We're going to start targeting people based on what we think an undocumented person looks like, based on their skin color or clothes," she said.
Anger Grows Among Local Immigrants
In El Paso, a city with a large Latin American population, Trump's actions have sparked anger and fear. Mirna Cabral, 37, a recipient of the DACA program, expressed outrage over Trump's executive order to restrict birthright citizenship, a move already facing legal challenges.
"That is just insane," Cabral said, condemning the order as a violation of the Constitution. "It doesn’t matter if you have a legal status or not. Everyone born in the U.S. has the same rights."
Julieta Torres, 65, a Mexican national who has lived in El Paso for decades, argued that children born in the U.S. should be granted citizenship regardless of their parents' immigration status.
"If they were born here, they are from this country, even if they are the children of undocumented parents," Torres said.
Uncertain Future for Migrants
Hector Chavez, a Mexican national who legally crosses into the U.S. for work but resides in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, believes the current immigration climate will deter future migrants. "The American dream is over," he said, advising those seeking a better life in the U.S. to reconsider their plans.
As Trump’s immigration policies take shape, the future of many migrants remains uncertain, with growing fears of raids, deportations, and loss of rights.