Trump win spurs cartels to command bigger fees to smuggle migrants across US border

It now costs more to hire drug cartels and human smugglers along the southern border following the stunning victory of President-elect Donald Trump. 

The price hike is due to increased demand and perhaps increased risk as illegal aliens realize the clock is running out on the easy access that they had under the Biden-Harris regime. This comes as Trump is preparing to reenter the Oval Office and already has Border Czar Tom Homan preparing to begin mass deportations, the Dallas Express reported. Sources in Sonora, Mexico, where hundreds of thousands of people have immigrated illegally to the US, indicate that the cost of cartel service has doubled since Trump’s reelection.

Homan has promised to prioritize “public safety threats, national security threats and fugitives” as he plans his deportation strategy. The former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not discouraged by the reluctance of some states, cities, or police forces to assist the future Trump administration’s deportations. Instead, he says he will “flood” US sanctuary cities with ICE agents to complete the task. Homan was also quick to remind lawbreakers that the Trump administration is committed to destroying criminal cartels and has suggested illegal immigrants just “self-deport” right now.

That means the border crossing fee for getting into the US from Mexico has skyrocketed from $5,000 per person to $10,000, according to a report from Mexico-city-based newspaper Excelsior. People wanting the cartel’s deluxe services, which include access to vehicles to travel through private property, can expect a price tag of between $15,000 and $20,000. Migrants who are coming to Mexico from overseas destinations like China aren’t finding any discounts and are being charged a top rate that can go as high as $55,000. Just in 2023, US Customs and Border Protection was able to apprehend 24,000 Chinese nationals attempting to cross into the US via Mexico, according to Breitbart.

Despite the steep price of using a cartel, it hasn’t stopped migrants from using their services. This trend is expected to continue at least until Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. The Express noted that Texas remains the most popular point of entry for illegals with millions of illegals entering the US through the state during the four years of the Biden-Harris administration.