**Trump Pledges to Reinstate Tough Border Policies as Migrant Crossings Surge**

Former President Donald Trump has vowed to quickly address migrant crossings at the southern border by reimplementing policies from his first term, including the controversial "Remain in Mexico" policy. The "Remain in Mexico" initiative, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their cases were processed by U.S. courts.

When Trump assumes office in January, he will inherit advanced enforcement tools introduced by the Biden administration. These tools include emergency border controls that effectively ban asylum for migrants entering unlawfully. Unlike Trump’s previous policy, where asylum seekers had access to U.S. courts, Biden's restrictions allow for the rapid deportation of migrants without due process and threaten them with criminal prosecution if they return.

Biden's approach, designed to mitigate the staggering number of illegal crossings that characterized his first three years in office, has resulted in a 78 percent reduction in illegal border entries since December. Biden officials defend these measures as part of a comprehensive approach to divert migrants from smugglers and direct them towards expanded lawful pathways into the U.S., which admit over 70,000 applicants monthly.

Trump has announced plans to eliminate these lawful pathways and retain the stringent controls. He intends to appoint Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as a senior White House official overseeing border enforcement. Trump's announcement on his Truth Social site emphasized Homan's role in deporting illegal aliens back to their countries of origin. Homan, known for his hardline stance on immigration during his tenure at ICE and frequent appearances on Fox News, praised the Remain in Mexico policy as a lifesaving deterrent to illegal crossings.

The practical implementation of the Remain in Mexico policy during Trump’s first term saw thousands of asylum seekers relegated to camps along the Rio Grande, with officials citing it as a factor in reducing illegal crossings following a surge in May 2019. By March 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Trump administration to activate Title 42, allowing for the swift expulsion of asylum seekers without due process, a policy initially maintained but later adjusted by Biden.

Despite the Biden administration lifting Title 42 in May 2023, the extended collaboration with Mexico on immigration enforcement resulted in an unprecedented agreement that saw large-scale deportations of non-Mexican migrants to Mexico. However, with the prospect of Trump discontinuing the expanded lawful pathways, it's uncertain if Mexico will continue to accept non-Mexican deportees.

Andrea Flores, who formerly assisted in rebuilding asylum processing at the U.S. border under Biden, noted that the current administration's policies have not focused on identifying asylum seekers but on alleviating border pressures. Flores emphasized that the lawful pathways were not intended to replace humanitarian protections but to channel movement towards safer routes.

As the Trump administration prepares to assume office, the new policies and removal of lawful pathways could significantly impact the current systems in place that have managed to bring down the number of illegal crossings to lower levels. The heightened complexities of immigration enforcement will undoubtedly continue to be a focal point as the issue evolves under new leadership.