As large numbers of Central American migrants continued arriving in Tijuana in hopes of crossing to the United States, one thing became abundantly clear: They won’t be leaving anytime soon.
For both state and municipal officials, this has prompted growing anxiety about providing food, shelter, health care, and other services while they wait for a turn to apply for asylum at the San Ysidro Port of Entry — or reach other decisions about their future.
“We’re estimating that they will be here at least six months, and in some cases as long as a year and a half,” Francisco Rueda Gomez, Baja California’s secretary-general, said Friday at a City Hall meeting, before rushing across the border for a meeting with U.S. officials in San Ysidro.
Five days after an initial group of 77 caravan members arrived in Tijuana, the total by Friday had reached 2,679, according Mexico’s National Migration Institute.
A smaller number, 657, remained in Mexicali, the state capital. Another 3,200 were in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, and presumably headed to Baja California, an immigration official told a room packed with government officials, human rights representatives, migrant advocates and shelter directors.
Also in attendance was the Honduran ambassador to Mexico, Alden Rivera Montes, who announced the immediate opening of a consular mobile office in Tijuana. He said staff will attend to the needs of Hondurans who make up the majority of the caravan, providing birth certificates and other documents; ensuring their rights in Mexico and as they approach the U.S. border for asylum.
Many Honduran migrants, “travel invisibly, that is to say without documents,” Rivera said.
The growing presence of the Central American caravan members has caused a wide range of reaction in Tijuana over the past five days — from anger to to compassion.
Many are calling for more federal presence and resources to address the situation, and state and local officials have been asking for Mexico’s federal government to provide about $4 million to support local efforts to house the migrants, and are awaiting a reply.
Border wire, Juarez. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
“It’s a tsunami,” he said during a news conference at City Hall. “This situation is purposely orchestrated, with the intention of harming Tijuana,” he added, without specifying who might be behind the group.
By Friday, Tijuana police had detained seven caravan members — six Hondurans and a Guatemalan — according to Marco Antonio Sotomayor, Tijuana’s public safety secretary, who said they will be turned over to Mexican immigration authorities for deportation.
Two were inebriated and fighting each other in Playas de Tijuana; three were arrested at the city’s newly opened shelter in the Zona Norte for smoking marijuana, and two were arrested for consuming illegal drugs across town in Camino Verde, one of the city’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods.
The mayor is calling for a referendum, one that would allow city residents to express their concerns about the large number of caravan members ending up in the city. He has also suggested checkpoints at the city’s entrance, but on Friday called them “an extreme” measure suggesting that he was not yet prepared to take such a step.
But Gastelum himself has come under much criticism from migrant advocates for his comments made in an interview Thursday on Milenio TV, a Mexican national television network, where he complained about the arrival of the caravan members: “Some of them are a bunch of bums, smoking marijuana in the street, and attacking our families in Playas de Tijuana,” the mayor said. “Who is leading them?”
In Zona Norte, a municipal sports stadium that has been turned into a temporary shelter for the caravan members, the population rose to more than 2,000 by Friday, city officials said. More than half of them are adult males, along with 441 women, 275 boys and 144 girls. About 100 slept outside, reluctant to enter the facility, which is locked after 10 p.m.
On Friday morning, migrants passed the time outside trying to earn extra pesos by washing cars, playing soccer on the street, talking to relatives on borrowed cell phones or waiting in line to pick up donations from organizations that brought food, toiletries, clothes, and other supplies throughout the day.
Several said they were aware that their presence in Tijuana has created tension. Cristian Herrera, 24, said he was present in Playas de Tijuana when a confrontation broke out between a group of migrants and residents who were protesting their presence.
“They called us dogs and told us they didn’t want us here,” said Herrera, adding that one of his companions got hit in the face with a rock, just below his left eye.
Another migrant, Sonia Gonzalez, did not completely disagree with the mayor, but was nonetheless stung by his comments. “There are some bad people here but we are not all like that. It isn’t fair that we are all judged for the actions of a small group of people.”
Maria Santos Perez, 29, said she was grateful for the warm reception the people of Tijuana have given her and her 7-year-old son.
“The Mexican people have taken good care of us,” she said. “They’ve supported us very well so I can’t say anything negative about the Mexican people.”
However, Perez said, the situation could change when more migrants arrive if the city is unable to handle them.
“I’m worried about my son,” she added.
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These parasitic liars don’t care about ANYBODY but themselves. maria perez is worried about her son? Maybe she should have thought about that before dragging him 1000 miles across the dessert, seeking handouts from everyone along the way, and a free pass into the United States where she can suck up benefits for the rest of her life. If they would shoot a few of these idiots sitting on top of the fence, maybe they would get the idea. We are not going to open our doors for you.
” If they would shoot a few of these idiots sitting on top of the fence, maybe they would get the idea.”
I agree but would suggest starting with rubber bullets and bean bag rounds. Those that persist would then be subject to “live ammo”.
WHY moddy coddle them and use beanbag/rubber rounds? WHY NOT go straight to life ammo.?
Where’s the razor wire that should be on that fence? Nobody wants to see anybody injured, but this is an invasion of our country. Whatever it costs to turn these people around, should be deducted from the aid we send to their countries, Mexico included, for aidng them. Apply that money toward building the wall.
I want that razor wire, and electrify it. I CARE NOT if these invaders, injure themselves..
And if mexico didn’t want to deal with the mess, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD have done more to stop them pushing their way INTO mexico!
I am given to understand that sound cannons are an effective crowd deterrent without causing loss of life. After all, if they would just go back to where they came from, everyone else would be happy. Worth a try, along with electrified concertina wire. These are caravans of criminals from hell, the same tactic Soros et al use in Europe for Ethnic Cleansing of Christian culture.
Then, on this side, we need to have MANDATORY Voter ID (end Motor Voter registration), no freebies for illegals (education, housing, food, medical care, passports… to wit: NOTHING). Allow every American citizen’s household to be armed, the same as the Swiss.
BTW, Boo Hoo Mexico. It’s Karma.
MAYBE she should have thought about producing children into a situation that the invaders claim is so terrible.
I saw something last night to the effect that Trump is considering stopping all benefits to illegals. That should make a dent in them, although to really work, the anchor baby rule will have to be eliminated.
Illegals shouldn’t even be GETTING ANY Benefits, for trump to stop..
I believe the use of the Active Denial System [look it up] against all those who scale the fence and attempt to cross would be an excellent verification of the system’s usability against these types of otherwise unarmed invaders. After a few had fell onto the remainders and told of their “enjoyment” of the effects, lots of them might be persuaded to accept transport [at Mexico’s expense, of course] back to the southern border of Mexico. Mexico assisted, or at a minimum allowed, this invasion to progress to the USA’s border; let them bear the cost of cleaning up their mess.
Why should we go ‘easy’ on them by using a non-lethal device like that ADS??
Better the squalor, poverty, mob ruling lack of self-governance remain in Tijuana than in your own town hall square. They should get Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass to play “Walk, don’t run” ,,,,to Tijuana. Mexico like America will soon learn the lesson to “Pay me a little in border security NOW, or pay the invaders a lot more LATER” in unearned social benefits. These aren’t the chaste girls from Ipinema at the front of the raging horde, they are the knocked up gate knocking raging Bulls. This is a raging Bull fence charge awaiting a happening with the useful idiot casualties of the innocent to follow, while the American Democrat inspired guilt inducing organizers of confrontation get off scot-free to keep the violence coming. They have purposely created an internal American battle between the better Angels of our rational Nature and the emotional Dark Angels of deception. America, do not be deceived and let them twist, then use our own Christain values to let the wolves in sheep’s clothing into the American flock of sheep who just wish to safely graze, in a well fenced and sheepdog protected pasture of America.
Do not let them in. Do not send any of our taxpayer funds for support. Any business or group helping these invaders needs to be immediately removed from receiving any tax dollars also.
And have any deductions or tax incentives removed.
This is the best thing that could have happened. Mexico is now having to deal with the same issues we have dealt with. They want to pass out pamphlets about how to get to America and help people cross the border. Now they have to deal with people pouring over their borders illegally. VIVA MEXICO!!! You are getting what you deserve, you ***.
You’re absolutely correct. MX encouraged and abetted these criminals in their efforts to invade The United States of America, and NOW let MX figure out how to deal with the problem they helped create. I say that our negotiating position with MX about the invaders currently in Tijuana should be: We’ll rent you the prison transport buses and sheriff’s deputies crews that you need to haul these illegal aliens in your country back to your southern border. Standard commercial rates.
I wouldn’t. Mexico would more than likely use them to try and haul folks TO OUR Border..
I blame the worthless Republicans. We held the majority yet they did everything they could to block Trump from building the WALL. We also held majority with Jorge Boooooosh, yet again they did NOTHING. We are now paying the price for their incompetence.
That is true, but the Democrats have had the country by the throat for the better part of 40 years, so they get most of the blame.