SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — More than 90,000 asylum seekers have entered the U.S. through PedWest at the San Ysidro Port of Entry since the CBP One online app program began earlier this year, according to Enrique Lucero, director of the Migrant Affairs Office in Tijuana.
The CBP One app provides asylum seekers online appointments for interviews with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services personnel at ports of entry such as PedWest.
If a migrant’s story is deemed credible, they will get a court appearance date to pursue asylum cases in the U.S.
“On an average day, 400 migrants are entering the U.S. with a CBP One appointment,” said Lucero. “We hope they keep increasing the number of appointments, so migrants don’t become desperate and take the dangerous route of unlawfully crossing the border, risking their lives.”
Lucero stated his office and the city of Tijuana are working to find work opportunities for migrants while they remain in the town awaiting their appointment dates.
“People have to get into a mindset that it’s going to take three to four months in our city before their appointments come up; we’ll try to offer them jobs much like what’s taken place with the Haitian community.”
According to Lucero, migrants from 120 countries have secured appointments on the CBP One app and have crossed the border at PedWest or El Chaparral, known in Tijuana.
“This year, we’ve seen a lot of unlawful crossings. Last year, there was a lack of housing for the migrants as many Venezuelans and Ukrainians arrived in the city. Still, fortunately, we now have enough space to house asylum seekers who continue to arrive in Tijuana,” said Lucero.
Lucero pointed out that all three levels of government south of the border are keeping an eye for trends in migration patterns as they try to help as many people as possible.
“We hope we can keep up next year even though it’s going to be a heavily political time as Trump’s possible return would generate a lot of movement in immigration as many would go to the U.S. hoping to get north of the border before Trump would be in office.”