In April the Trump administration lowered the cash‑transfer reporting threshold from $10,000 to $200, requiring any business that handles money to file detailed reports with Fin Cen, including personal identifiers. The policy was meant to curb cartel money‑laundering but quickly hit small, cash‑based enterprises on the border.

In El Paso, the family‑run Nachita’s grocery, a longtime “casas de cambio,” saw customers disappear. Owner Evangelina Ornelas reported that patrons, many without bank accounts, stopped using the service because they feared surveillance and immigration raids. The extra paperwork and the need for Social Security numbers made it impossible for elderly or mobility‑limited clients to pay bills or send money home.

The threshold was raised to $1,000 in September 2025, but compliance burdens remain heavy. Attorney Rob Johnson of the Institute for Justice called the rule “invasive and unconstitutional,” noting that $200 is a grocery cart while $1,000 equals a month’s rent. Lawsuits allege violations of the Fourth Amendment and arbitrary enforcement.

Critics say the policy deepens hardship amid immigration raids. Esperanza Gómez, who runs a San Diego money‑service shop, warns it will push small businesses out of operation. Remittances to Mexico now exceed $60 bn yearly, and the crackdown threatens the livelihoods of countless immigrant families.