Yaqeen Blog

For countless individuals, the journey through the US immigration system ends in a stark, concrete riverbed just south of the border: El Bordo. This dry channel in Tijuana, where the Tijuana River once flowed, has become a makeshift shantytown—a devastating symbol of broken American dreams and the failure of reintegration policies.

Today, El Bordo and the surrounding shelters are once again overwhelmed. Following the US administration’s acceleration of mass deportations and the shuttering of key asylum pathways like the CBP One app in early 2025, Tijuana has become a critical choke point, trapping thousands of people in a painful limbo between two countries.

The Anatomy of the Deportee Crisis

Around 40% of all Mexican immigrants deported from the US are sent back through Tijuana. These are not new arrivals; they are often men and women who lived, worked, and paid taxes in the US for decades, many unable to speak Spanish and torn abruptly from American families.

• The Identity Crisis: Many deportees have no familial or financial ties to Mexico. They remain in Tijuana, gazing at the lights of San Diego, desperate to maintain contact with their children left behind in the US.

• Economic Exclusion: Without proper Mexican identification, finding formal work is nearly impossible. Many are forced into the informal economy or find precarious jobs in call centers—ironically, answering calls from the same American consumers they were just removed from serving.

• The Shelter Divide: While the Mexican government has opened temporary shelters, many deportees choose the perilous conditions of the streets or informal camps over the crowded, autonomous-free environment of the facilities.

El Bordo and the New Policy Reality

El Bordo, while a permanent fixture, sees its population fluctuate violently based on US policy. Recent actions have tightened the noose on those seeking refuge:

• Asylum Denial: The expansion of expedited removal policies means individuals arriving at ports of entry can be swiftly deported, effectively blocking asylum for many fleeing violence in Central and South America.

• The Return to "Remain in Mexico": The threat of reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" program forces non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in dangerous border cities, exposed to organized crime and kidnapping.

• The Environmental Risk: Living in the riverbed exposes residents to harsh environmental conditions, including constant sewage contamination and the danger of flash flooding during the rainy season.

The Human Toll: Trauma and Survival

For the thousands stranded in Tijuana, the challenges go far beyond shelter and work; they are fundamentally psychological.

The experience of deportation creates immense emotional distress, exacerbating anxiety and depression. Deportees, stripped of their social networks and legal status, are highly vulnerable to exploitation by local criminal organizations.

Despite the monumental institutional failures on both sides of the border, the community survives through grassroots solidarity. Local NGOs and church-run shelters provide critical humanitarian aid, serving as the only lifeline against the constant threat of violence, hunger, and the crushing weight of isolation.

The deportee slums of Tijuana are not just a geographical problem; they are a direct consequence of policies that prioritize enforcement over human dignity, leaving broken lives to struggle in a perilous, concrete limbo.

Sources

◦ Latin American Immigration Association - U.S. Immigration Policy Changes (July 2025)

◦ Migration Policy Institute (MPI) - New Era of Immigration Enforcement under Trump 2.0

◦ KPBS Public Media - New Tijuana Shelter Ready for Deportees (Jan 2025)

◦ National Geographic - In Tijuana, Deportees Struggle to Find 'Home'

Just across the US border in Tijuana, Mexico, lies the La Mesa Prison—a facility long infamous not for its government rule, but for its chaos. Once known as "El Pueblito" (the little town), where cartel bosses ruled supreme and drugs, prostitution, and corruption were the norm, La Mesa has been forced into a new, strictly controlled era following deadly riots.

Today, La Mesa is under the iron fist of Director Cesar Daniel Acevedo, who is attempting to dismantle decades of internal criminal governance. However, the cost of that control is borne daily by the inmates, who face extreme overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and a predatory system where survival is currency.

From Town to Tomb: The Legacy of Cartel Rule

La Mesa’s dark reputation stems from its past as a self-governed "prison village." Due to severe overcrowding (built for 2,000 but holding over 7,000 in its peak), authorities once allowed inmates to build their own apartments, run restaurants, and even have their families live inside. This was freedom at a terrible price, as the entire economy was controlled by the cartels, leading to:

• Internal Power: Cartel bosses enjoyed luxurious condos and operated freely.

• Violence and Riots: The system collapsed in violent riots, notably in 2008, where frustration over conditions led to mass fatalities and the demolition of cartel-funded luxury cells.

Today, the priority is control. Inmates are separated and locked away, but this has simply confined the brutality to smaller, more concentrated spaces.

The Harsh Reality: Two Square Meters of Survival

The living conditions in La Mesa are dire. Inmates are packed into cells, often with up to eight people sharing just two square meters of space.

• Confinement: Inmates rarely leave their cells, where they must perform all basic biological functions—sleeping, eating, and urinating—in the same confined area.

• The Pay-to-Live System: The most immediate threat is financial. In La Mesa, nothing is free. Inmates must rustle up cash to pay for basics like water, medical care, and even toilet paper. This predatory system targets the most vulnerable, including foreigners and those without strong family support.

The Inmates: A Portrait of Extreme Danger and Desperation

The prison houses men convicted of the most serious crimes, offering a glimpse into the raw danger of border-city crime:

• Francisco Javier Villa Padilla: A notorious cartel killer sentenced for murdering police officers and hanging their bodies from a bridge. He knows he is a marked man, even inside. He trains daily in his tiny cell, aware that when his seven-year sentence ends, outside killers will be waiting.

• Taylor Elliott Howard: An American sentenced for car theft and weapon possession. He shares a cell with six other Americans, where they are reportedly treated like "scum." Facing nine more years, his daily struggle is to survive the environment and secure enough money to simply exist.

The Director’s Challenge: Maintaining the Iron Fist

Director Cesar Daniel Acevedo is the sixth leader tasked with managing this seemingly impossible institution. His mission is to ensure that the criminal element never regains control.

Acevedo’s strategy relies on maximum security and separation, reversing decades of inmate self-governance. While this approach has brought a form of stability and reduced the overt signs of cartel rule, it maintains the fundamental conditions of overcrowding and deprivation, creating an environment where basic survival remains the highest priority for every person behind La Mesa’s walls.

Sources

◦ Documentary - Inside La Mesa: How Guards Maintain Control Over Inmates

◦ Wikipedia - La Mesa Prison History and Incidents

◦ Office of Justice Programs - Private Enterprise in a Prison (Historical Context)

◦ Human Rights Watch - Prison Conditions in Mexico