‘Our border is closed’: How the Trump administration seeks zero migrants and how smugglers are responding with tunnels

Context and the administration's goal

Federal agencies have increased physical and technological enforcement. Measures described include miles of additional razor wire installed along border fences, expanded surveillance technology, and the use of autonomous Predator drones equipped with surveillance and infrared sensors. Construction of new barriers is moving forward in multiple areas, including projects tied to the administration's previous "build the wall" agenda.

The tightening of surface enforcement has encouraged traffickers to adopt more complex methods. Cartels are increasingly using tunnels — some that were originally dug for drug smuggling — to transport people. Reporting notes several changes:

• Tunnels are being outfitted with lights, ventilation and rail systems. Charged fees for these passages can reach up to $25,000.
• Some smugglers are connecting tunnels to municipal drainage and sewer systems to conceal movement.
• While the number of migrants caught in tunnels appears relatively small, authorities and researchers see the use of subterranean routes growing as enforcement on the surface increases.

Underground trafficking is not new. In 2023, then-U.S. ambassador Ken Salazar said at least 200 tunnels spanned the border, with many connecting Tijuana and San Diego. The present reporting frames the trend as an intensification and adaptation: tighter land enforcement pushes smugglers to invest in more elaborate underground infrastructure.

Implications for enforcement and policy

The administration's push toward zero migrants has led to both diplomatic engagement with Mexican officials and stepped-up domestic operations. That combination is producing immediate tactical consequences: more barriers and surveillance above ground, and a correspondingly larger market and incentive for smugglers to build and use tunnels. Authorities describe the trade-off plainly: as surface routes become more costly and risky, underground methods become more attractive to criminal networks.

What the reporting documents and leaves open

The article documents shifts in enforcement, diplomatic pressure, and smuggling tactics, including tunnel sophistication and connections to drainage systems. It also provides specific figures for daily apprehensions in July and cites public statements by U.S. officials. It does not provide detailed, verifiable counts of migrants using tunnels overall, and it notes that tunnel apprehensions remain a relatively small share of total detections even as they appear to be increasing.