The once-bustling streets and shelters of Tijuana, Mexico, known for their influx of migrants attempting to enter the U.S., now reflect a significant downturn in numbers. Factors such as changing immigration policies and heightened enforcement have contributed to this change, leaving the city eerily quiet and its shelters largely empty.
Tijuana's Transformation: Once a Migrant Hub, Now a Ghost Town
Tijuana's Transformation: Once a Migrant Hub, Now a Ghost Town
The border city of Tijuana, historically known for high migrant traffic, now sees a stark decline in asylum seekers, reflecting broader shifts in immigration patterns.
In the heart of Tijuana, a city that historically thrived as a vibrant gateway for migrants heading to Southern California, the once-bustling streets are quiet now. The shelters that lined its parks and streets, filled with families seeking a better life, have seen a dramatic decline in occupancy, and the migrant presence has all but vanished.
For years, Tijuana served as a primary route for individuals seeking asylum and better opportunities in the United States, boasting the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. Just recently, this bustling hub of migration has shifted—trails where crowds once formed are now vacant, and shelters that overflowed with people have reset to near empty.
Lenis Mojica, a Venezuelan migrant residing in Tijuana since January, spoke candidly about the changes. “People aren’t coming here,” he lamented. “Everyone has left. No one else has arrived.” This sentiment resonates across nearby cities along the border, reflecting a widespread decline in migrant numbers over the last few months.
This downturn began developing prior to the inauguration of President Trump, but the trend has intensified since his administration's commitment to stricter immigration policies. Recent statistics highlight this scenario; U.S. border agents recorded just 8,383 apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico border in April, dropping sharply from the staggering 129,000 in the same month of 2024, a decline echoing throughout the southern border region.
As road construction replaces the flurry of activity that once characterized Tijuana’s proximity to the border, one cannot help but notice the transformation. It stands as a testament to a shifting landscape in migration patterns, reflecting the challenges that asylum seekers face in a world where legal and humanitarian pathways are increasingly obstructed. The question looms: What will happen next in a city that once thrived on the dreams and struggles of those seeking new beginnings?
