SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Mexico’s federal government and the state of Baja California announced this week that they will open six new shelters in Tijuana to accommodate deported migrants from the United States.
Initially, plans called for using sports complexes around the city to house the migrants, but according to Arnulfo Guerrero León, Tijuana’s City Manager, they are now going to lease warehouse space instead.
Guerrero León told Tijuana’s El Sol Newspaper, they will have enough room for as many as 5,000 migrants in an area southeast of the city.
The idea is to process and house deported migrants for a few days before sending them to their hometowns in other parts of Mexico.
The shelters will only take in Mexican nationals according to officials.
Recently, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she told President-elect Donald Trump that her country will “only” accept deported migrants originally from Mexico.
Guerrero León said they opted for the warehouse facility to avoid conflicts and interfering with sports activities and events that would impact residents.
He also stated the warehouse location will have easier access from border crossings where migrants are to be deported instead of having to bus them to several areas across the city.
They also want to avoid having the migrants leave and filter out into the city.
The warehouse will also be divided to segregate different groups of migrants such as single men, single women, unaccompanied minors and family units.
The facility will reportedly be in operation by Jan. 20 when Trump takes office and the deportations are expected to begin.
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