Mexican border town declares state of emergency as Trump pledges mass deportations
Migrant shelters in Tijuana 鈥� located across the border from San Diego, California 鈥� 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 Mar铆n, told CNN there is concern that Trump鈥檚 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. 鈥淭here is collective nervousness鈥� about the decisions made by President Trump鈥檚 administration,鈥� Mar铆n said.
鈥淭he biggest challenge (for shelters) is not knowing what is going to happen, I am mentally preparing myself,鈥� Pat Murphy, who runs the Casa del Migrante shelter, told CNN last week, prior to Trump鈥檚 inauguration.
Their worries stem from Trump鈥檚 promise to carry out mass deportations once in office.
During his inaugural speech on Monday, Trump reiterated his pledge. 鈥淲e will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,鈥� 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 city鈥檚 Mayor Ismael Burgue帽o Ruiz said last week that Tijuana 鈥渋sn鈥檛 alarmed鈥� and calls the measure 鈥減reventive鈥� in case Trump 鈥渞eally does what he says he鈥檚 going to do.鈥� Burgue帽o says the city has prepared spaces should there be a surge of deportees.
'It鈥檚 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. 鈥淵ou have to care for them, who is going to organize programs and training for migrants,鈥� Murphy said, adding that he believes local authorities should work closer with the shelters to mitigate any potential crisis.
Other humanitarian workers agree. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about providing a bed and some food, we have to create a space to help people psychologically and spiritually,鈥� Albertina Pauletti from the Madre Assunta shelter told CNN.
Mar铆n said shelters need 鈥渕ore economic resources for food, comprehensive medical services鈥� to help with 鈥渧oluntary 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.鈥�
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 鈥渁ttending caravans.鈥�
Mexico鈥檚 President Claudia Sheinbaum said on January 3 that many migrants decided to return to their country of origin 鈥渁s they are walking,鈥� .
In the face of mounting uncertainty, shelters remain committed to their mission.
鈥淲ith 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 don鈥檛 want to return to their place of origin,鈥� said Pauletti.