President Trump says he will “close the border” on his first day in office. Before that happens, the Biden administration is reportedly preparing for a final surge of migrants attempting to illegally cross the southern border.

In the final days of President Biden’s term, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing for the possibility of a surge of migrants seeking to enter the United States before new border restrictions are implemented, NBC News. information.

Senior officials from Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly met with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday to discuss a possible immigration surge and how to prepare for it.

Discussions centered on whether there were enough beds available to detain immigrants and whether they could quickly process asylum claims or release immigrants into parts of the United States with court dates.

Officials told NBC News they have seen no signs of an upcoming surge in migration since Trump won the election.

A Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said immigrants “should not believe smugglers’ lies.”

“The fact remains: the United States continues to enforce immigration law, and immigrants must use safe, legal and orderly pathways to reach the United States,” the spokesperson added.

After Trump won on Tuesday, immigrants began what is discussed the impact of the elections on the border on WhatsApp and suggesting that now is the time to make the trip to the United States.

“After January 21 he will close the borders with extreme security,” wrote one user. Another said: “You have until January to participate.”

the number of apprehensions The number of migrants who crossed the border illegally hovered around 55,000 in the months leading up to the election, down from a record 250,000 in December 2023.

However, officials have been concerned about the possibility that a Trump victory could spark a rush to the border before the 47th president implements new restrictions and procedures to limit the flood of illegal border crossings.

Exit polls presented Immigration was an important issue for voters when deciding who they would vote for. Trump has promised to stop the wave of illegal immigration as estimates They say more than 10 million people entered the country illegally during Biden’s presidency.

he also has saying would carry out “mass deportations.” While the administration could face challenges in terms of detention space to hold immigrants before they are expelled from the United States and funding for such an operation, polls found that most Americans saying They would support the mass deportation of immigrants who are in the country illegally.