Tijuana Churches Stand Firm, Defying Challenges to Support Asylum Seekers

Although the route to Tijuana from Central America is longer than other major ports of entries, migrants often choose the 2,5000-mile journey for safety.

Driving up a small hill on a dirt road just 24 minutes from the San Ysidro border, the turn from the main street is easy to miss. In the rainy season, the dirt road becomes a muddy river. Small cars daring to drive through can wind up missing a tire by the end of the short trek. But those who make it to the top will find refuge at a small church called Templo Embajadores de Jesús.

Such is the case for thousands of migrants. Whether you are from the north or south side of the U.S.-Mexico border, you are welcomed here with open arms.

Tijuana, Mexico has a long history of being a middle point for migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. In 2018, more than 4,700 migrants from Central America arrived at the Tijuana border. At the time, Tijuana mayor, Juan Manuel Gastelum, called it a humanitarian crisis.