Tijuana, Mexico Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum calls on the United Nations to assist his city with aid for an estimated 5,000 Central American migrants who are trying to get into the United States.
Gastelum says Mexico’s federal government has done little to deal with what he calls a “humanitarian crisis”, adding he will not use local taxpayer money or resources to attend to their needs. He said Friday that the federal government talked of sending 20 tons of material to the border town, but only five-tons would be for actual relief. The rest would be used to reinforce the border.
Thousands are camping in a Tijuana sports stadium, where they are receiving food and aid from private agencies like churches and individual citizens. The state government in Baja California is also providing job assistance for those who qualify.
The largest migrant caravan left Honduras in mid-October, and the majority is still working its way north from Mexico City. They have received warm welcomes and aid in other communities, in part because they only stayed for a day or two before continuing their journey.
Mayor Gastelum says Tijuana is losing tourism money that usually flows south from the U.S. Northbound travel has also been hindered for those who legally cross the border to work in the United States.
In an interview with Grupo Formula radio, Gastelum said criticized the federal government for not taking President Trump’s threat more seriously, when he said he would close the U.S. southern border if immigration gets out of control.