The U.S. government, led by President Donald Trump, froze federal aid funds this Thursday for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) assisting migrants.

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According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as reported by local media, the government is concerned that federal funds are being used for “illegal activities, such as promoting or inducing illegal migration.”

The decision was signed by Kristi Noem, the official appointed by Trump to lead the DHS. She justified the measure by claiming that “hundreds of millions of dollars” have been allocated to NGOs that “facilitate the invasion of the U.S.”.

She further stated: “We will not spend another cent to help destroy this country.”

The Trump administration continues to frame migration as an ‘invasion’ and label migrants as ‘invaders.’ This move comes alongside a surge in deportations within the first week of Trump’s presidency and an increase in border militarization.

Additionally, in Republican-led states like Texas, local authorities have taken legal action against NGOs providing aid to migrants in border cities, including Catholic Charities.

Karina Arias Muñoz, a Mexican academic from the Centro Universitario de Incidencia Social (Coincide) and a member of the Migration Affairs Program (Prami) at ITESO University in Guadalajara, warned about the risks of narrowing the migration discussion solely to ‘migrant workers’.

She emphasized that this approach ignores key causes of human mobility, such as family reunification, displacement due to violence, armed conflicts, and climate change.

Arias Muñoz also highlighted the importance of monitoring deportation trends, noting that changes in the profile of deportees could introduce new challenges and humanitarian needs.

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