Conditions worsen at migrant caravan shelter in Tijuana

TIJUANA, Mexico — Migrants stranded in Tijuana are complaining about cramped living spaces, exposure to the cold at night, limited access to food and safety concerns.

The makeshift shelter they’ve been living in for almost a week is nearing capacity, and more migrants are on the way to this border community.

More than 2,500 migrants, hailing mostly from Honduras and to a lesser extent from other Central American countries and Mexico, are staying at Unidad Deportiva Benito Juárez, a sports complex in Tijuana’s north end.

Another 3,400 are in nearby Mexicali, about 90 miles away, according to the state officials. They also plan on traveling to Tijuana in the next few days.

The city and Baja California, state governments opened the shelter last Wednesday.

But in just five days, migrants have set up camp in nearly every available space of the outdoor facility. They’ve used any materials at their disposal, from trash bags to blankets, to build a shelter over their heads.

Many families, some with very young children, have nothing but mats and layers of donated clothes to keep themselves warm as temperatures drop to the low 50s.

On Monday, volunteers handed out blankets, while other migrants sifted through boxes of donated clothing looking for items to keep them warm.

Miriam Carranza traveled in the caravan from El Progreso in Honduras and arrived in Tijuana four days ago with her three daughters. Relatives sent her enough cash to buy a used camping tent for 600 pesos, or about $30.

“(Before) we had to put on five sweaters each to be able to handle the cold, and then the blankets, because the blankets would become damp with dew,” she said.

Carranza said she fled Honduras because gang members wanted to kidnap her 13-year-old daughter and destroyed her home when she didn’t allow it. She decided to leave with her other two daughters, ages 11 and 7.

Despite the relative safety of traveling in a large group as a caravan, she said safety has again become an issue for them in Tijuana.

Several of the migrants cited security concerns inside the shelter, especially in recent days. Around midnight Saturday, some individuals threw rocks at them from outside the outdoor sports complex.

On Sunday, hundreds of Tijuanans participated in an anti-immigrant march toward the shelter. Some of them threatened the migrants.

In response, police increased security around the shelter, most of which remained in place on Monday. But the incident left many of the migrants uneasy and on edge.

“We leave a violent country, and you arrive in another violent country, so yeah, it’s scary. Especially for someone who has small children,” Carranza said.

Maritza Lara, another migrant from San Pedro Sula in Honduras, said living conditions were challenging at the makeshift shelter, especially for women.

When the shelter opened, there were a limited number of showers and toilets. Over the weekend, the city installed portable restrooms along the outfield of the complex’s baseball stadium and eight outdoor showers.

“It’s gotten a bit easier because they installed showers outside, but the men are always there, so as a woman, it’s hard for you to go shower,” she said. “So what do I do? Wake up early at 5 a.m. and go to the private showers at the gym.”

With the sports complex nearing capacity, tensions have also flared at times among residents coping with the limited resources.

Some migrants such as Mauricio Silva, from Cuernavaca, Morelos, are ready to move on. He joined the caravan as it traveled through central Mexico to give himself a better shot at reaching the border.

But, he said, the time had come for three other men and him to leave.

“We’re going to try to jump the border, and see what happens,” he said. “If we go through with it, I hope God protects us.”