

The U.S. Border with Mexico is seen in an aerial view, Jan. 31, 2025, near San Diego. (AP)
President Donald Trump did not sign an executive order closing the U.S. border indefinitely starting July 1.
An immigration law expert told PolitiFact that although the president has authority to close the border, it has to be under emergencies or exigent circumstances.
TikTok posts claim that President Donald Trump has closed the U.S. border indefinitely, in both directions, but this isn't accurate.
"Donald Trump has just signed one of the most extreme executive orders in U.S. history, a total border shutdown with no set reopening date," said the June 28 video. "Starting the first of July, no one goes in, no one comes out, not even legal residents with full documentation, the order according to the Trump administration is meant to protect national sovereignty… if you leave the country after that date, you may not be allowed back in at all."
A June 24 TikTok post makes a similar claim, as do other TikTok videos in Spanish.
PolitiFact did not find in the White House’s official website or the Federal Register an executive order for a border shutdown. The Federal Register publishes new federal regulations and tracks presidential actions.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website also doesn’t mention any such shutdown.
A total border shutdown can only be done in specific circumstances, immigration experts said. Trump’s immigration policies have not gone that far.
On June 4, Trump restricted the entry of foreign nationals into the U.S. from certain countries, including Afghanistan, Haiti and Iran. Trump’s proclamation also partially restricted entry from other countries, including Venezuela, Cuba and Laos.
Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, told PolitiFact that the president has broad authority to close the border in emergencies or other exigent circumstances, including military conflicts.
Arulanantham said Trump most recently did this during the COVID-19 pandemic, invoking Title 42, a section of federal law that gives the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the authority to deny entry to the U.S. to people from countries where there is an outbreak of an infectious disease.
Fact-checkers at Colombiacheck and Factchequeado debunked similar claims about a U.S. border closure.
This is not the first time PolitiFact has fact-checked inaccurate claims about the border. In 2024, we rated False a Spanish-language claim that a new law closed the border and limited all asylum applications.
Trump has not ordered a complete border shutdown effective July 1. We rate this claim False.
Email interview with Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, July 1, 2025
TikTok post, June 28, 2025
TikTok post, June 24, 2025
The White House, Executive Orders, accessed July 2, 2025
Federal Registry, Border Closure search, accessed July 2, 2025
CBP, Newsroom, accessed July 2, 2025
The White House, PROVIDING FOR THE REVOCATION OF SYRIA SANCTIONS, June 30, 2025
The White House, RESTRICTING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES FROM FOREIGN TERRORISTS AND OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS, June 4, 2025
Cornell Law School, 8 U.S. Code § 1182 - Inadmissible aliens, accessed July 2, 2025
Immigration History Org, Muslim Travel Ban, accessed July 2, 2025
CPB, Title 42, updated Feb. 12, 2025
El Paso Times, 1963: Border Closed After JFK Death, Feb. 17, 2012
The New York Times, 9 U.S.-MEXICO CROSSINGS ARE CLOSED AFTER THREATS, March 4, 1985
The World, Nixon and Reagan tried closing the border to pressure Mexico — here’s what happened, April 8, 2019
Colombiacheck, Trump no ordenó cerrar por completo la frontera de Estados Unidos en julio de 2025, 27 de junio de 2025
Factchequeado, No, Estados Unidos no anunció que cerrará sus fronteras por 90 días, 25 de junio de 2025
Congress.gov, Can the President "Close the Border"? Relevant Laws and Considerations, Feb. 29, 2024
PolitiFact, El Senado de EE. UU. no propuso un total cierre a la frontera o a las peticiones de asilo, Feb. 9, 2024
PolitiFact, Ask PolitiFact: What can we expect if Title 42 is lifted?, Dec. 16, 2022
TikTok post, June 20, 2025
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