The Trump era and counter migrant smuggling: a new geopolitical order on the US–Mexico borders?

ABSTRACT The Trump administration decided to pursue a different set of policies toward Mexico compared to the previous administrations. Immigration and border security policies toward Mexico and the southern US border constituted a significant pillar of Trump’s “America First” concept. Due to the intensification of US immigration and security policies on the border, migrant smuggling increased significantly during the Trump era. However, there is little evidence of the impact that these policies had on the Mexican counterpart. What are the effects of Trump’s immigration and border security policies on the US–Mexico borderline? Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with high-profile Mexican officials, this article aims to explore the intersection of the impact that Trump’s policies had on the US–Mexico border and the migrant smuggling activities from the Mexican perspective.