In the border town of Mexico, Haitians are hailed as a success

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) – The first Haitian restaurant to settle in Tijuana, the first Haitian restaurant to settle in Tijuana, has become a symbol of an immigrant 's success in this Mexican border town. where are the members of a caravan of migrants from Central America. are now part of the fabric, jobs, studies and marriage of the inhabitants.

Tijuana has invited thousands of Haitians to pursue a reduced American dream south of the border after the United States closed the door more than two years ago. But it has not so far shown the same tolerance towards the Central Americans, who have been the subject of official complaints and anti-caravan protests, even though most of the inhabitants of this city are migrants or children of migrants.

This raises questions about how the newest group will integrate if he does not enter the US or return home.

The mayor of Tijuana, Juan Manuel Gastelum, made it clear that the city was not happy with the caravan migrants who had started arriving last week. failed.

"Haitians arrived with their papers, with a clear vision," Gastelum said in an interview published on the city's Facebook page. They came "neatly, they never asked for food or shelter", renting apartments and getting ready to eat. He added that the Haitians had found a job and had "inserted into the economy of the city" and had not been involved in any disruption.

On the other hand, said Gastelum, the Central American caravan "had arrived suddenly, with many people – not all … but many – aggressive and arrogant".

Victor Clark-Alfaro, professor of Latin American studies at the San Diego State University and resident in Tijuana, attributes this reaction to how the caravan arrived – suddenly, with thousands d & # 39; tributaries. Others refer to the social media and hostile rhetoric of US President Donald Trump, who said he was harboring criminals and gang members and planning an "invasion."

Many also say that the actions of some tarnish the image of some 4,000 migrants camped in Tijuana. Last week, city officials arrested three dozen members of the caravan for drug possession, public intoxication, disturbing the peace and resisting police, and announced that they would be deported to their home country. origin.

It has also been a few months since the first caravan of Central Americans arrived, and some of them are still waiting to find asylum in the United States. This added to the fear that this would be the beginning of an endless deluge.

US border inspectors handle only about 100 requests for asylum a day at the main Tijuana border crossing in San Diego. A waiting list of 3,000 people already existed when new migrants arrived. Most of them will have to wait months before even being considered asylum seekers.

Tijuana has long been a sort of Ellis Island for migrants to the United States. It receives up to 80,000 per year from Mexico, Latin America and more recently until India and Africa. The city has large pockets of Chinese and Korean immigrants.

Central Americans have come to the city since the civil wars of the 1980s in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Many in the newly arrived caravan, however, are destitute people who have left their home country unexpectedly and have been totally dependent on help throughout their journey.

Meanwhile, many Haitians arrived with at least some resources after working in Brazil. Despite what the mayor said, they also stayed in shelters after taking an accidental road to get to Tijuana from their home country, the Caribbean. The last group of Haitians left the shelter of Padre Chava in April.

Brazil and its neighbors welcomed Haitians after the 2010 earthquake in that country. When construction work for the 2016 Summer Olympics ended and the Brazilian economy collapsed, they crossed 10 countries by plane, boat, bus and on foot to get to San Diego , where the US authorities initially let her in for humanitarian reasons.

Then President Barack Obama changed course in 2016 and began deporting Haitian arrivals. Many decided to stay in Mexico after the government gave them temporary transit permits and have since applied for residency in Mexico. Until now, the majority of the Central American caravan has refused repeated offers of residence or asylum submitted by Mexico and has committed to cross the border.

Many Haitians also have university degrees and have been recruited to work in factories that export to the United States. Some meet at the waiting table and worship in congregations that have even added services in Creole.

They have opened beauty salons, shops and restaurants, such as Kriskapab Baborijinal, a bright blue and red coffee that serves daily Mexican and Haitian dishes made from coconut rice, banana mash and stew. goat.

In the window is a sign for the Association for the Defense of Haitian Migrants. Philocles Julda, 44, is one of 11 Haitian immigrants who founded the group a year ago to give the community a place to self-help, from Spanish lessons to payment of medical bills.

Julda said that he also wanted to travel to the United States when he arrived in Tijuana and that he still wants to earn money, but said that he had managed to make a living here. He works in a factory.

"I feel for migrants coming in from other countries, as we did," he said. "But you are adapting."

And labor is abundant in Tijuana, whose economy is growing and whose factories have thousands of outlets.

"We have been looking for workers for some time," said Alejandrina Yanez, who works in human resources at a factory that manufactures storage racks for Costco, Home Depot and other international companies.

Yanez went to the Padre Chava refuge on Wednesday to see if any migrants were interested in jobs paying about $ 100 a week.

Omin Velasquez, 26, from Tocoa, Honduras, was intrigued. Velasquez came with the caravan, but decided not to continue on his way to the United States after seeing the border wall topped with rows of newly installed razor wires.

He told her that it had taken him a few days to make up his mind, but he now believes that Tijuana has enough opportunities and support from the local population to justify the risk of entering the United States. He began his steps to obtain a Mexican visa.

"There is so much work here," he said. "I no longer feel the need to go to the United States"