Mexican border cities experience immigrant crisis

World Today

As the U.S. continues to deport undocumented immigrants, border cities in Mexico are experiencing an immigration crisis of their own.

CGTN’s Franc Contreras reports.

Thousands of Haitian immigrants fled their country in 2010 after a devastating earthquake. Many moved to Brazil. However, an economic crisis there led to their decision to travel in a desperate attempt to enter the U.S. without documents.

Thirty-five-year-old Christopher Faustin came with his wife and daughter. He now finds himself among thousands of other Haitians, scraping by to earn a living in the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

“Right now, it is impossible to go to the United States,” Faustin said. “The new administration there is deporting all people who enter with no papers. It’s not worth the risk. It’s better for us to stay in Mexico.”

Many Haitians have moved to Tijuana – housing is scarce, and wastewater washes over dirt roads, creating poor sanitary conditions.

The Haitian migrants, who refer to themselves as refugees, have fled one of the poorest countries in Latin America, only to find themselves in one of the most poverty-stricken zones of northern Mexico.

Some migrants have gathered at churches for food and medicine. However, officials said supplies are running low, and the situation is taking on all the characteristics of an immigration crisis.