SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The people who operate a shelter for deported migrants in Tijuana say they have yet to receive large numbers of migrants that were expected as a result of President Trump’s mass deportations.
The facility has been set up to accommodate up to 2,600 people at one time. It provides basic services and medical and psychological care for the migrants. It also includes a large kitchen and dining room with dozens of cooks and service personnel.
But for the most part, the dining staff has been idle due to the lack of people coming into the shelter.
“We’re getting about 52 migrants daily, lower than the expected numbers,” said Alfredo Álvarez Cárdenas, Baja California’s Secretary of State. “We still haven’t gotten the number of deportations predicted as a result of President Trump’s promises.”
During the first week, the shelter saw anywhere from 44 to 100 deported migrants come through its doors daily, significantly lower than when President Biden was in office and 100 to 400 migrants were getting deported to the city of Tijuana every day, Álvarez Cárdenas said.
“It’s very difficult when the decisions aren’t made by your own country,” he said. “This has required a large mobilization of our resources, but we’ll stay ready for any movements.”
Álvarez Cárdenas stated most migrants are staying at the shelter for two nights, with some opting for a bus ticket home, something Adrian Sanchez chose.
“I showed up for my U-Visa, that’s when I was detained” he said.
U-Visas are given to people who have been victims of crime and can be eligible to receive legal status in the U.S.
Sanchez told Border Report he had lived in California and had worked in the construction industry for 28 years, he felt “duped” when he was apprehended late last week.
“Don’t show up for court or any appointments, it’s best to hide and not let them deport you, they are taking everybody not just criminals as they say.”
Sanchez said he planned to visit relatives he had not seen in nearly three decades, but expected to return in a few weeks to hire a smuggler and get back into the U.S.
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