In the sweltering border city of Reynosa, Mexico, over a thousand migrants from Central America and Venezuela gathered at the Senda de Vida shelter, anxiously pondering when they might cross into the United States. This uncertainty follows President Biden’s recent executive order, which effectively closed the U.S.-Mexico border to most asylum seekers as of June 5.

The new policy, designed to manage surges in crossings, left many migrants feeling stranded. “I feel like I’m stuck here,” lamented Reison Daniel Peñuela, a 29-year-old from Venezuela. He, along with many others, arrived with hopes of reaching the U.S., only to find themselves in limbo.

The shelter’s director, Héctor Silva de Luna, noted a noticeable decrease in the number of migrants arriving at the border, with many now waiting in cities further inland like Monterrey and Mexico City. However, those at the border remain anxious and uncertain about their future.

Nuvia Baires, a 34-year-old from El Salvador, was one of the few to receive good news. She secured an asylum interview via the CBP One app, which the new order does not affect. “God answered my prayers,” she exclaimed, while others around her felt more despondent.

Sister Norma Pimentel of Catholic Charities in McAllen, Texas, reported a significant drop in numbers at their respite center, from a daily average of 600-800 people to just 133. The new order’s impact is evident, though immigration activists plan to challenge it in court.

Migrants in Ciudad Juárez, including Jorge Gomez from Honduras and Karen Piamo from Venezuela, also felt the weight of the new restrictions. Gomez, arriving after the border closed, expressed fear of deportation. Meanwhile, Piamo, who reached the border with her family just as the news broke, felt a deep sense of despair.

As uncertainty looms, many migrants at the border remain in a state of anxious anticipation, unsure of when or if they will be able to cross into the United States.