At least two dozen migrants climbed over the metal fence at the U.S.-Mexico border Monday after being frustrated with the slow process of seeking asylum.
The Central American migrants used various items such as ropes and blankets to scale the 10-foot fence from Tijuana into California.
Frustrated and exhausted after weeks of uncertainty, many of the migrants have become desperate since getting stuck in squalid camps in the Mexican border city of Tijuana.
So a number opted to eschew legal procedures and attempt an illegal entry from Tijuana as dusk fell on Monday at a spot about 1,500 feet (450 meters) away from the Pacific Ocean.
In less than an hour, Reuters reporters observed roughly two dozen people climb the approximately 10-foot (3-meter) fence made of thick sheets and pillars of metal. They chose a place in a large overgrown ditch where the fence is slightly lower. (Reuters)
According to Reuters, later into the night more migrants followed suit, and many had children with them.
One was a Honduran woman with three kids who said she was waiting to see what happened to the migrants, telling Reuters they will “figure out what to do in a couple of days.”
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They were seen on the U.S. side of the border 90 minutes later.
Juan Manuel Gastélum, the mayor of Tijuana, argued recently that the caravan organizer ought to face criminal charges. He also said he will not be spending any more money sheltering the migrants.
“I’m not going to break public services to solve this problem,” he said.
“In those six hours that the border was closed, we lost approximately 129 million pesos,” he continued. “That's not fair. How do you think people from Tijuana feel towards those people who are making problems?”
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