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El Paso grocer says new money-transfer rules scare immigrant customers into isolation

Aug 11, 2026 · El Paso, TX, Mexico

The Trump administration's Treasury Department imposed a rule requiring businesses near the US-Mexico border to report cash transactions over $200, down from $10,000, in an effort to combat cartel money laundering. Small businesses like Nachita's Grocery in El Paso say the policy has instead devastated immigrant communities, as customers fear the new reporting of personal information could expose them to immigration enforcement surveillance. Many elderly and undocumented residents have stopped using these services to pay bills or send money to family in Mexico, and the policy faces legal challenges over privacy and Fourth Amendment concerns.

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