Tijuana declares state of emergency over Trump's mass deportations

The border municipality of Tijuana, Mexico, declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the arrival of illegal immigrants deported by the Trump administration, which in just days will be able to begin implementing the America First agenda. One of its priorities, from day one, is the deportation of illegal immigrants.

The Tijuana City Council, which unanimously approved the measure, maintained publicly that it is concerned about statements in the media about "a mass deportation across the international border between this city and the state of California." The municipal president, Ismael Burgueño Ruiz, remarked that the measure was merely preventive. "We are ready for whatever needs to be done as a municipality," he assured local media. "The spaces are already ready," he added, "in case what Donald Trump said is carried out."

Tijuana is one of the main crossing points from the United States, both for immigrants and illicit substances. Authorities want to prevent a reverse flow of migrants from co-opting public spaces, as has happened on other occasions, by setting up shelters and contracting new services.

The whole of Mexico is getting ready

Asked about the border municipality's decision, President Claudia Sheinbaum stated, in a press conference, that she did not "understand very well" why the emergency had been declared, and affirmed, "We are prepared."

After criticizing the announcements of deportations by Trump and his close associates, she said that her own team had been "working for several months to be able to receive our nationals in the best way in case there are deportations." She refused, however, to provide details of the plan.

The Tijuana City Council is not the only local government that has begun preparations for the president-elect's immigration plan. Baja Californi Secretary General of Government Alfredo Álvarez Cárdenas, assured that his portfolio continues to evaluate where some 25 shelters will be located on Mexico's northern border. From the state of Quintana Roo, authorities assured they will be monitoring the situation together with different levels of government, according to local media Canal10.

International response

The network of Mexican consulates in U.S. territory will undertake trainings and talks, and enabled windows for consultations linked to the immigration plan. It also announced the launching of an application, called "Alert Button," which will allow Mexican immigrants to send a message when they are about to be detained to the nearest consular delegates and to some previously chosen family members.

Mexico is not the only country preparing. As of Monday, representatives from nine Latin American and Caribbean countries met in Mexico City to coordinate a joint response to mass deportations. The participants are Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela,