SAN ANTONIO – Fred Schellenberg said his questions are starting to pile about how immigration policies could change as President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
“There’s this whole underground uncertainty,” Schellenberg, the director of the American Organization for Immigrants, said.
Across the election cycle in 2024, the issue of immigration was at the forefront of discussions. On the campaign trail, Trump made it clear he’d focus on securing the border if he made it back to the Oval Office, including a push for deportation. But it hasn’t been laid out yet on how he’ll do this.
That’s what Schellenberg is most curious about in 2025.
“There is a groundswell of people who still want to come to the United States,” Schellenberg said. “Whether they’re going to have success in coming across the border, I don’t know.”
The American Organization for Immigrants is a nonprofit in San Antonio that was created to help immigrants with legal services.
“What impact did the election cycle have on border relations?” KSAT reporter Avery Everett asked Schellenberg in an interview.
“I think the reason that border crossings are down is that jawboning works,” he said in response. “That uncertainty is causing people to think about, ‘Do I want to come to the United States, and how am I going to get there?’”
Physical controls, such as the buoys or the wall, could be an option. But Schellenberg said he’s not sure this will effectively minimize crossings.
“The more times that you try to secure the border, the more times people are going to take a risk to do something dangerous,” Schellenberg said.
The second inauguration of Trump is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.