Approximately 280 migrants who traveled as part of caravans from Central America have been arrested by police in Mexico’s northern border city of Tijuana in recent weeks, according to an elected official in the city.
Genaro Lopez Moreno, a municipal delegate for downtown Tijuana, on Thursday said the arrests are in connection with drug possession, public drunkenness, and now “breaking and entering” into homes.
“People have made citizen’s arrests. Things aren’t very nice here. The neighborhood is tired of them, the merchants and the schools,” Lopez Moreno said in a Fox News interview.
The official said police are on 24-hour alert and are concerned the incidents will increase crime rates, which could have an effect on tourism.
“We live on tourism and Christmas season is one of our best times for tourism here and for sales. Things are not very good right now,” he said.
Tijuana is located just across the border from San Diego, Calif., and is comprised of 1.7 million residents as of last year.
“Tijuana is a great town. It opens its arms to anyone that wants to come here in peace and to live here, no problem. But if you come here in a violent mood, if you come here against our sovereignty, you’re not welcome here. Really, we don’t want this problem. We have our own problems and we’re dealing with them,” he said. “We don’t want problems from other countries to invade us here and creating this havoc that has been happening.”
Lopez Moreno said the city government had planned to force the estimated 6,000 people hunkering down in tents in Tijuana to leave last weekend, but were stymied.
“We issued a new ultimatum for three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They have to go. Sunday they would be removed. A priest came here and he’s very well known. He talked with them and said they shouldn’t go. They should stay. He would talk to the authorities. So Sunday, the director of disaster relief for Mexico City issued an order to stop and don’t remove them,” said Lopez Moreno.
The U.S. and Mexican governments are in the process of negotiating a deal that could allow Central Americans who bypass applying for asylum in Mexico to be able to apply for it with the U.S., but have to remain in Mexico during the process.
