Jailbirds to Fly South?

As president of the Asociación de Comerciantes Turisticos de Tijuana, Julián Palombo Saucedo is worried. He recently learned that convicted Mexican nationals serving prison time in California may be returning to Mexico via Tijuana.

Palombo's main interest is in increasing international tourism for the city. In a Frontera article, he claims that 34 prisons are going to release the inmates in order to ameliorate overcrowded prison conditions and to reduce costs in maintaining the system.

Crime in TJ could skyrocket 30 percent if the current plan is carried out, according to Palombo. He wants authorities on both sides of the border to work together to smooth any kind of prisoner deportation to Mexico and for California to allow access to information on each prisoner so that tijuanenses can be forewarned of any potentially dangerous persons arriving in the city.