Migrant crossings at the Mexican border in Tijuana rise 31% this year

The irregular crossings of migrants in Tijuanaone of the main borders of Mexico with USAhave grown 31% annually to exceed 230,000 in the year, which is why municipal authorities warn about the growing dangers faced by undocumented people.

Enrique Lucero Vázquez, municipal director of Migrant Assistance, cited this increase based on figures from the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on irregular crossings between Tijuana and San Diego, California.

The Tijuana official pointed out that, after the 176,000 crossings in 2022, this year more than 230,000 have been registered.

In the midst of the rebound, he regretted the reinforcement of the border wall in this area because, he considered, it will cause migrants to cross more frequently by sea, “which will put them much more at risk of dying from drowning.”

“Last year there were six deaths in their attempted swimming crossing and this year it was one person; In addition, 42 Mexicans died trying to cross the wall in 2022 and 28 this year, which we hope will not increase.”he explained.

A campaign to inhibit the crossing of migrants

The Mexican Government stated this Thursday that it has “intensified immigration control actions” by ensuring that in recent days it has surpassed the CBP in migrant encounters on the border with the United States, according to a document exhibited by the president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in his morning conference.

““There were a number of migrants that had not been seen (in December), I think 10,000 or 12,000 a day on the northern border, and this led to customs and railroad border crossings being closed,” the president acknowledged.

Given the increase in irregular crossings, the Tijuana authorities launched a campaign so that fewer people try to cross that way to the United States.s “because they are putting their physical integrity at risk.”

“The higher the wall or the more sealed the border, the migrants will look for other points, as we are already seeing in the Ejido de Jacumé, where it is also riskier due to the presence of organized crime and other risks, such as geographical area of ​​the area”stated Lucero Vázquez.

This campaign includes the placement of notices on the beaches of Tijuana, where the border wall ends in the Pacific Ocean, as well as signs about 500 meters from the San Ysidro border crossing, identified as one of the main points.

“The signage contains a QR code that, when activated on their cell phones, directs them to the City Council’s ‘Guide for Migrants and Refugees in Tijuana’, where they can obtain timely information on how to start asylum processes through the ‘CBP-‘ application. One’, the location of shelters and health centers”, said.

Lucero Vázquez warned that among those who cross irregularly there are single men, families, and minors.

“Everyone is crossing and we have noticed that the majority are still of Mexican nationality, but here we see that there is the greatest diversity of nationalities who are crossing compared to other borders (in Mexico). People from Asia, Africa, America and Europe”, he detailed.

NGOs ask for government intervention

José María García Lara, director of Juventud 2000 and the Tijuana Migrant Alliance, attributed the irregular crossings to the months-long delay that migrants face in obtaining one with the US CBP-One application.

“We deduce that this is part of what causes the migrant community to continue entering the United States irregularly and creating this problem on the dividing strip with the neighboring country,” mentioned.

The activist said that, although there is a good action by the municipal authorities, at the end of the day “It is a job that they have to do”.

But he questioned prohibiting migrants from approaching the border and demanded greater participation from the federal government.

“It is very important that this information be disseminated, but not only here at the border. Finally, the Municipality is doing its part, but the State (Government) and the Federation are also required to do theirs,” he pointed out.