Newly-elected US President Donald Trump wants to implement nationwide checks on immigrants immediately after his inauguration. Mexico is already preparing for mass deportations.
Trump had announced that he wanted to deport immigrants in record numbers – the first measures should be taken as early as Monday in New York and Miami, a person familiar with the matter warned. The insider was responding to a report in the Wall Street Journal that said the government is planning a large-scale raid on immigrants in Chicago on Tuesday and would deploy 100 to 200 officers. Trump spokespeople did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Meanwhile, the Mexican border city of Tijuana is preparing for a humanitarian crisis due to mass deportations. The situation is serious, the manager of the Proyecto Salesiano, Claudia Portela, explained in an interview with Kathpress on Saturday.
“The threats are real. Since Trump was elected in November, deportations from the US have increased. “Here in Tijuana, we are preparing for drastic measures similar to those taken during his first term, or even more severe,” said the concerned social expert.
The Mexican city of Tijuana has declared a state of emergency
The Pacific city of Tijuana, whose border crossing with San Diego, California, is the most crossed in the world, declared a state of emergency a few days before Trump took office on Monday to be prepared for the looming crisis. “The city is planning emergency protocols, such as using sports facilities as accommodation if regular capacity is exceeded. But we know from experience that infrastructure can quickly become overwhelmed,” Portela warned.
Another problem is the lack of civil society involvement in planning. “The government has not consulted organizations like us even though we are on the front line. This makes coordination and efficient use of resources difficult.”
Portela recalled previous crises, such as the implementation of the “Remain in Mexico” program in 2017 or “Title 42” during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Title 42 led to immediate deportations without asylum procedures. Migrants crossing the border were arrested and immediately sent back. These times have created a lot of stress and anxiety, and we expect that similar practices may be reintroduced.” Even then, people were deported across the U.S. southern border to Tijuana in large numbers, usually at night and often without warning. had reached its limits.
Return is often a traumatic experience
Returning to Mexico is often a traumatic experience for deportees. “Many people don’t know where to go. They often end up in Tijuana in the middle of the night, without orientation, without contacts and with great uncertainty,” the manager explains. The situation is especially problematic for families with children, who could be increasingly affected in the future, according to Trump’s announcements. “The emotional burden is enormous. They feel abandoned, do not know how to shape their future and are confronted with a completely unknown environment.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
