TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) – The mayor of Tijuana announced Friday that the city was preparing to face an influx of at least six months. no end in sight.
Juan Manuel Gastelum said that there were 2,750 caravan migrants in Tijuana and that, according to estimates by the Mexican federal government, this number could approach 10,000.
"No city in the world is ready to receive this avalanche, if I can afford it," he said at a press conference at City Hall. "It's a tsunami, all the citizens of Tijuana are concerned."
US border inspectors handle about 100 requests for asylum a day at the main Tijuana border crossing in San Diego, which creates long waits. Asylum seekers record their names on a ragged notebook run by migrants themselves, which numbered more than 3,000 names even before the arrival of the caravan.
Along the nearly 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) that go from the caravan to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to this Pacific Ocean town, migrants stopped in most places for a only one night, with a few exceptions.
This has overwhelmed small towns in southern Mexico in particular – but only briefly. The long expected stay of migrants in Tijuana has raised concerns about the ability of the teeming border city of more than 1.6 million residents to manage the influx.
In arguing for financial support from the Mexican government, Gastelum has strongly warned migrants against criminal behavior, although the authorities have only reported seven arrests so far – five for drug use and two for disorderly conduct. .
"Supposedly, they are fleeing disaster, abuse in their home country.How is it possible that they arrive here and, if they wish, create disorder?" the mayor said. "This is not true."
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Migrants traveling in a mass caravan barrier on the Mexican border
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A police officer helps a Honduran migrant belonging to a caravan trying to reach the United States while she passes a border checkpoint in Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A Honduran migrant, member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, ties a backpack to the bridge connecting Mexico and Guatemala to avoid the border crossing point of Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
A Honduran migrant, member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, descends from the bridge connecting Mexico and Guatemala to avoid the border crossing point of Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018 REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, strikes the shield of a federal police officer after storming the Guatemalan checkpoint to enter Mexico , Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, 19 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Honduran migrants, who are part of a caravan trying to reach the United States, are jumping and descending the bridge that connects Mexico and Guatemala to avoid the border checkpoint while traveling to the United States. others are queuing to enter Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, 19 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino TPX PICTURES OF THE DAY
A police officer helps a Honduran migrant belonging to a caravan trying to reach the United States while she passes a border checkpoint in Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A federal police officer makes gestures as Honduran migrants, members of a caravan attempting to reach the United States, are pushed by other migrants after storming the Guatemalan checkpoint for enter Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, strikes the shield of a federal police officer after storming the Guatemalan checkpoint to enter Mexico , Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, protects her child following the reaction of the federal police after migrants stormed the Guatemalan checkpoint to enter the United States. Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Honduran migrants, who are part of a caravan trying to reach the United States, are jumping and descending the bridge that connects Mexico and Guatemala to avoid the border checkpoint while traveling to the United States. others are queuing to enter Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Honduran migrants, who are part of a caravan trying to reach the United States, are being pushed by other migrants after storming the Guatemalan checkpoint to enter the country. Mexico, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan attempting to reach the United States, jumps from the bridge between Mexico and Guatemala to avoid the border crossing at Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, descends from the bridge that connects Mexico and Guatemala with the help of immigrant colleagues to avoid the point. on the border of Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, 19 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, storm a border checkpoint in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, cries after storming a border crossing in Guatemala City, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018 REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, overthrow a fence after storming the Guatemalan border in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, jumps over a fence fence between Guatemala and Mexico in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, storm a border post in Guatemala City, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
ATTENTION – VISUAL COVERS OF SCENES OF INJURIES OR DEATH A Honduran migrant, member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, bleeds after storming a border post in Guatemala City, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, storm a border post in Guatemala City, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
A police officer helps a Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan, who tries to reach the United States while she passes a border checkpoint in Guatemala, Ciudad Hidalgo, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico , October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, fall after taking a checkpoint at Guatemala's border in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, storm a border post in Guatemala City, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, storm a border checkpoint in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, climb a fence trying to enter Mexico after taking a border crossing in Guatemala City, Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Mexico. October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant child, a member of a caravan attempting to reach the United States, is crying close to a barrier located at the Guatemala-Mexico checkpoint in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, on October 19 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, are screaming as they storm a border checkpoint in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
Honduran migrants, members of a caravan trying to reach the United States, react after storming the Guatemalan border, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
A Honduran migrant, a member of a caravan trying to reach the United States, then shouts that he burst at a border checkpoint in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 19, 2018. REUTERS / Edgard Garrido
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His language linking recent arrivals to crime shows how the caravan is already testing the proud history of Tijuana as a melting pot for immigrants, a tradition that Gastelum has also highlighted.
A municipal gymnasium and a recreation complex that has been converted into a shelter should be able to register up to 1,000 people on Thursday night, but ended up hosting more than 2,000 people, including more than 400 children.
Officials in Tijuana said they opened the shelter as part of an effort to keep migrants out of reach of the public space.
The private shelters in the city should have a capacity of 700 people.
At the municipal shelter, long queues were formed for showers and meals of tuna casserole or noodle soup in the cafe. The outside awnings covered rows of mattresses and blankets.
A woman singing Mexican ranchera music on a speaker drew a small crowd, while the men gathered to play cards. Eighteen new portable toilets on a grass field have removed the toilet lines.
US President Donald Trump, who wanted to make the caravan a campaign issue in last week's elections, went on Twitter Friday to launch new criticism of migrants.
"Is not it ironic that large caravans of people are walking towards our border, wanting to get asylum from the United States, fearing to be in their country – and yet, they wave proudly … the flag of theirs Is it possible? Yes, because this is a big jerk, and the American taxpayer pays for it, "he said in a pair of tweets.
The migrant Ronald Calderon, who picked up coffee beans in Honduras, said he would seek asylum in the United States if he estimated that his chances of success were 90%. But he thinks the odds are long and does not want to risk being evicted, so he hopes to find work and settle in Tijuana.
"I see Donald Trump talking about us as criminals and murderers, and I do not think there's an opportunity," said Calderon, 23.
Andrea Ramirez, 42, said her brothers and sisters were killed by gangs in Honduras and that she registered on Friday for asylum in the United States.
"The only thing we want is not to go back to Honduras," Ramirez said.
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A day in the life of the migrant caravan in Mexico
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Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, is resting on the road while she travels to Pijijiapan in from Mapastepec, Mexico, October 25, 2018. Photo taken October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, a member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, rests on the road with her son Adonai while they go to in Pijijiapan from Mapastepec, Mexico, October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino / SEARCH "GLENDA ESCOBAR" SEARCH FOR THIS STORY. LOOK FOR "LARGER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, plays with her son Adonai in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on October 28 2018. Photo taken on October 28, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of thousands from Central America en route to the United States, sleeps in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on October 28, 2018. Photo taken 28 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras part of a caravan of thousands from Central America en route to the United States, poses for a photo with her children Adonai and Denzel in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico on October 28, 2018. Photo taken in October 28, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, smiles while resting in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on October 28, 2018. Photo taken 28 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, a Honduran migrant who is part of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, poses with her son Denzel, 8, while she rests in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on October 28, 2018. Photo taken October 28, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras and a member of a caravan of thousands from Central America en route to the United States, rests in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on October 28, 2018. Photo taken 28 October 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, is resting on the road with her son Denzel while they're traveling in Pijijiapan from Mapastepec, Mexico, October 25, 2018. Photo taken on October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras and member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America on her way to the United States, prepares the sleeping place after arriving at a makeshift camp with her sons Adonai and Denzel, San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, October 28, 2018. Photo taken on October 28, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Denzel, 8, holds his brother Adonai, 5, near their mother Glenda Escobar, a Honduran migrant, member of a caravan of thousands from Central America, en route to the United States, then that she travels to Pijijiapan from Mapastepec, Mexico, on October 25, 2018. Photo taken on October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras and member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America on her way to the United States, prepares the sleeping place after arriving at a makeshift camp with her sons Adonai and Denzel, San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, October 28, 2018. Photo taken on October 28, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, cries after speaking on the phone, in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, on 28 October 2018. Photo taken 28 October 2018 REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, is resting on the road, en route to Pijijiapan from Mapastepec, Mexico, on 25 October 2018. Photo taken on October 25, 2018, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, member of a caravan of thousands from Central America en route to the United States, poses for a photo while she rests in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico , October 28, 2018. Photo taken on October 28, 2018 REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, migrant from Honduras, a member of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, rides in a collector's car with her children Adonai and Denzel while on the road. She travels to Pijijiapan from Mapastepec, Mexico, October 25, 2018. Photo taken on October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Adonai, 5, son of Glenda Escobar, a Honduran migrant belonging to a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, smiles while he rests in San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico, October 28, 2018. Photo taken on October 28, 2018. 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
Glenda Escobar, 33, a Honduran migrant who is part of a caravan of several thousand from Central America en route to the United States, is preparing the place where she sleeps after arriving at a makeshift camp with her Adonai and Denzel children in Pijijiapan, Mexico, October 25, 2018. Photo taken on October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino
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Also Friday, another caravan left Mexico City towards the border.
Gastelum, the mayor, wondered why the migrants had chosen Tijuana rather than other Mexican cities on the US border, vaguely suggesting an ominous plot without more precision.
"There is an intention to do things wrong, there is an intention to harm Tijuana, and we can not afford it," he said.
His comments contrasted with the more welcoming tone of the other officials. Francisco Rueda, the highest representative of the governor of Baja California, Francisco Vega of Madrid, said on Thursday that the state had 7,000 jobs available for all migrants who obtain legal status in Mexico.
Gustavo Magallanes, director of the Baja California Migrant Attention Agency, said Friday that the state was doing its best in these difficult times and that by the end of the year agencies at all levels of government were short of funds.
The governor also urged federal officials to talk to their US counterparts about speeding up the processing of asylum claims, he said.
Magallanes said the governor had not ordered to prevent more migrants from arriving in Tijuana, but said state officials had told people of the caravan that 39 they could be processed more quickly in the city of Mexicali because of the length of the list.
Magallanes said it was "likely" that migrants could wait in Tijuana for four to six months. The state government plans to push them to regularize their immigration status in Mexico in order to offer them work.
He said that he could not speak for the mayor of Tijuana, but that he believed his remarks had been misinterpreted.
"We are looking for the best way for these migrants from Central America (…) to be in the best situation in this state," said Magallanes.
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Christopher Sherman, an Associated Press reporter in Mexico City, contributed to this report.
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