Mexican border town declares state of emergency as Trump pledges mass deportations
Migrant shelters in Tijuana 맥스카지노 located across the border from San Diego, California 맥스카지노 are bracing for a possible surge in the influx of migrants should US President Donald Trump carry out his mass deportation plan.
More than 30 shelters operate in the Mexican border city located in the northwestern state of Baja California, according to local authorities. Humanitarian workers CNN spoke to said a lack of space, resources, and overall uncertainty are among the issues facing the shelters.
The director of Jardin de las Mariposas shelter, C Jamie Marín, told CNN there is concern that Trump맥스카지노s potential mass deportations could trigger a humanitarian crisis related to services for both migrants going to the United States and those who have been deported. 맥스카지노There is collective nervousness맥스카지노 about the decisions made by President Trump맥스카지노s administration,맥스카지노 Marín said.
맥스카지노The biggest challenge (for shelters) is not knowing what is going to happen, I am mentally preparing myself,맥스카지노 Pat Murphy, who runs the Casa del Migrante shelter, told CNN last week, prior to Trump맥스카지노s inauguration.
Their worries stem from Trump맥스카지노s promise to carry out mass deportations once in office.
During his inaugural speech on Monday, Trump reiterated his pledge. 맥스카지노We will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,맥스카지노 he said from the US Capitol.
Bracing for the potential surge of migrants entering the city, authorities in Tijuana declared a state of emergency last week.
The state of emergency is an administrative move that allows the city to access funds to rent spaces, and pay for legal services, personnel, equipment, and supplies, according to a statement from the city shared with CNN.
However, the city맥스카지노s Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz said last week that Tijuana 맥스카지노isn맥스카지노t alarmed맥스카지노 and calls the measure 맥스카지노preventive맥스카지노 in case Trump 맥스카지노really does what he says he맥스카지노s going to do.맥스카지노 Burgueño says the city has prepared spaces should there be a surge of deportees.
'It맥스카지노s not just about providing a bed'
Yet Murphy, who has been the director of Casa del Migrante since 2013, says space is not the only issue. 맥스카지노You have to care for them, who is going to organize programs and training for migrants,맥스카지노 Murphy said, adding that he believes local authorities should work closer with the shelters to mitigate any potential crisis.
Other humanitarian workers agree. 맥스카지노It맥스카지노s not just about providing a bed and some food, we have to create a space to help people psychologically and spiritually,맥스카지노 Albertina Pauletti from the Madre Assunta shelter told CNN.
Marín said shelters need 맥스카지노more economic resources for food, comprehensive medical services맥스카지노 to help with 맥스카지노voluntary return programs to places of origin, more programs where integration and dignity are promoted through employment, more specific attention for people of sexual diversity, [and] more mental health services.맥스카지노
It is unclear how many migrants are currently in Tijuana. Government data shows that from January to August 2024 more than 30,000 migrants were in the city at some point. CNN has reached out to Mexican authorities for comment.
The Mexican federal government is also preparing for the potential influx of migrants by announcing the creation of new shelters in border towns and 맥스카지노attending caravans.맥스카지노
Mexico맥스카지노s President Claudia Sheinbaum said on January 3 that many migrants decided to return to their country of origin 맥스카지노as they are walking,맥스카지노 .
In the face of mounting uncertainty, shelters remain committed to their mission.
맥스카지노With the possible mass deportations, we are working on projects to help these people psychologically and spiritually and for those who want to be a part of the Tijuana community, those who don맥스카지노t want to return to their place of origin,맥스카지노 said Pauletti.