With migrant shelters emptying and streets quiet, Tijuana experiences a dramatic drop in the number of people seeking entry into the U.S., reversing a long-standing trend at this crucial border city.
Tijuana Sees Sharp Decline in Migrant Numbers as Crossings Fade
Tijuana Sees Sharp Decline in Migrant Numbers as Crossings Fade
Once a bustling hub for migration, Tijuana now faces a stark decrease in both legal and illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In a notable shift within the bustling border town of Tijuana, the once-thriving migration scene has drastically changed, revealing a troubling decline in the number of migrants passing through its gates. Historically recognized as a vital junction for both legal and illegal crossings between Mexico and Southern California, Tijuana now finds its shelters nearly vacant and migrants missing from its streets.
Once a common sight, migrants filling parks and overflowing shelters is now replaced by emptiness and quiet streets that lie in stark contrast to the bustling activity of previous years. The gatherings of hopeful asylum seekers, who previously awaited their turn to enter the United States, have dwindled, leaving only a few souls lingering near the border wall where desperation once drove many to climb it.
“People aren’t coming here,” lamented 49-year-old Venezuelan migrant Lenis Mojica, who has made a shelter his home since January. “Everyone has left. No one else has arrived.”
Reports from various Mexican border cities echo this diminishing trend, marking a steep decline in the number of migrants seeking refuge in America. The drastic downturn in migrant arrivals began prior to the inauguration of President Trump, but the impact has intensified under his administration, which touted tougher immigration enforcement. Figures reveal that U.S. border agents apprehended only 8,383 individuals in April, a staggering drop from the 129,000 apprehensions recorded in the same month the previous year, and a far cry from the nearly 250,000 apprehensions made in December 2023.
As the landscape shifts, the question remains as to the future of migration in this once-bustling border town and the underlying factors contributing to this unexpected turn of events.
Once a common sight, migrants filling parks and overflowing shelters is now replaced by emptiness and quiet streets that lie in stark contrast to the bustling activity of previous years. The gatherings of hopeful asylum seekers, who previously awaited their turn to enter the United States, have dwindled, leaving only a few souls lingering near the border wall where desperation once drove many to climb it.
“People aren’t coming here,” lamented 49-year-old Venezuelan migrant Lenis Mojica, who has made a shelter his home since January. “Everyone has left. No one else has arrived.”
Reports from various Mexican border cities echo this diminishing trend, marking a steep decline in the number of migrants seeking refuge in America. The drastic downturn in migrant arrivals began prior to the inauguration of President Trump, but the impact has intensified under his administration, which touted tougher immigration enforcement. Figures reveal that U.S. border agents apprehended only 8,383 individuals in April, a staggering drop from the 129,000 apprehensions recorded in the same month the previous year, and a far cry from the nearly 250,000 apprehensions made in December 2023.
As the landscape shifts, the question remains as to the future of migration in this once-bustling border town and the underlying factors contributing to this unexpected turn of events.
