R 140031Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL TIJUANA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8186
INFO ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY MEXICO 
AMCONSUL TIJUANA

UNCLAS TIJUANA 000033 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SOCI SMIG ECON
SUBJECT: STILL PURSUING THE AMERICAN DREAM: AN UPDATE ON TIJUANA'S 
MIGRANT COMMUNITY 
 
REF: 2008 TIJUANA 698 
 
SUMMARY 
 
Despite a weakening U.S. economy and increased border patrols, 
officials and volunteers who work with the migrant community in 
Tijuana have not witnessed a slowdown in clientele.   The number 
of recent deportees, almost none of them originally from 
Tijuana, present in Tijuana's shelters continues to rise.   Most 
deportees will try to return to the U.S.   Rescues of migrants 
trapped in precarious situations has increased, particularly 
near Tecate where some migrants and their "polleros", or paid 
guides, are attempting the journey through the mountains to 
avoid the border fence being constructed to the west.  Migrants 
seem determined to pursue the American dream, despite the risks, 
and their often difficult lives.   END SUMMRY. 
 
LOTS OF DEPORTEES 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.   As reported in reftel, Tijuana is a stopover for 
migrants, both those arriving from other parts of Mexico to 
attempt the journey north and those recently deported from the 
U.S.  The more difficult economic circumstances in the U.S. 
and tougher border crossing (with a higher price tag) has not 
yet diminished the number of migrants in the border area, mostly 
due to the increased number of deportees.   The Casa de 
Migrante, the largest shelter in the Tijuana area, for example, 
housed 11,437 migrants in 2008 versus 9,549 in 2007.   Father 
Luis Kendziernski, director of the Casa de Migrante, points out 
that this increase of about twenty percent roughly reflects the 
increase in the number of persons deported through 
California/Baja California's ports in 2008 (265,054 in 2008 
versus 213,056 in 20007).    Father Kendziernski says about 
seventy percent of his clients are deportees and only thirty 
percent are recent arrivals from southern Mexico trying to make 
the journey north for the first time.    This represents a 
reversal from two to three years ago, when the number of recent 
arrivals from the south formed the majority of the shelters' 
clients.   However, it is notable that, while the weakening U.S. 
economy is clearly discouraging many,  a trickle of would-be 
immigrants from other Mexican states are still showing up in 
Tijuana's shelters. 
 
¶3.  Moreover, tougher economic conditions and a more difficult 
journey for migrants do not appear to be discouraging deportees 
from attempting to return.   Father Kendziernski says a third of 
the deportees will try the journey again right away - probably 
because they have no choice if their wife and kids are still in 
the U.S.   Also, many of the deportees report having spent a 
good part of their life in the U.S. (up to fifteen to twenty 
years in some cases), so have built up strong networks and made 
their lives in the U.S.  and have no desire to live in Mexico. 
He says that others initially claim they will stay to live in 
Mexico, but he believes this is a temporary, impulsive reaction 
to being deported and that, after six to eight months of trying 
to make a living in the even tougher conditions in Mexico, the 
overwhelming majority try the journey again.   Those that stay 
in Tijuana temporarily can usually eke out a living, but life is 
difficult as most have little money (cash they had on them when 
caught for deportation is returned by Border Patrol in the form 
of a U.S. check, which migrants cannot cash in Mexico), lack 
paperwork necessary for a formal sector job, and do not have 
family in the area.   Only a small percentage return to their 
home states permanently. 
 
RECESSION-PROOF JOB: POLLERO 
---------------------------------------- 
¶4.  All this means that sketchy "polleros", or guides, benefit 
the most by having a continuing supply of repeat customers, and 
migrants continue to be subject to harsh conditions and 
exploitation.   Grupo Beta, a rescue group that is part of the 
GOM's National Migration Institute, does daily patrols in the 
four main migrant corridors between the Pacific Coast and the 
area east of Tijuana.    The Group says some migrants simply do 
not heed their warnings about harsh weather conditions, probably 
because they know of people who have made the trip successfully. 
The Group records an increasing number of rescues in the 
mountainous areas near Tecate, where "polleros" are trying to 
avoid the border fence being built in from the coast.   Some 
still attempt to cross through the border fence (a number of 
patch repairs by Border Patrol are already visible), but the 
risk of getting caught is much higher in this one-day journey 
than the three- to four-day trip through the deserts or 
mountains to the east.    In addition to weather, migrants also 
face the potential of attacks by armed bandits.    Father 
Kendziernski  says it's hard to know how prevalent this problem 
is: some migrants report seeing nobody during their journey, 
others report problems.   Grupo Beta believes this problem has 
existed for years and will not go away. 
 
¶5.  COMMENT:  Despite expectations that immigration through 
Tijuana to the U.S. would halt, due to a continuing supply of 
recent deportees anxious to return to the U.S. and a still 
existent, if diminished, trickle of ambitious would-be 
immigrants from the south, neither shelter workers nor Grupo 
Beta expect a significant decrease in the number of Mexicans 
needing their assistance in the medium term. 
 
 
KRAMER