By Bus, For Free

Recently, after 30 illegal immigrants were deported by U.S. authorities and dropped off in Tijuana, the Mexicans were given the opportunity to be transported back to the interior from whence they came, via bus, for free.

Growing concern over increased U.S. deportation of Mexican nationals to Tijuana has led to the development of the free-transportation program by Repatriación Humana and the Instituto Nacional de Migración. Rides to interior states such as Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Mexico City are available to deportees who are encouraged to take advantage of the chance to get back to their hometown.

Last Tuesday, January 12, the group of 30 paisanos was joined by another 9 travelers eager to get back home after a stint in the U.S.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!... We’re ready now!” said Albino, one of the recently arrived group. “It’s a big help, because I remember a couple of years ago they only offered tickets at a 50 percent discount and sometimes we got back home without a peso.” Albino was heading back to Mexico City after being deported twice from the U.S.

Besides repatriation increasing due to work for illegals drying up, recently released and deported prisoners have come to inhabit Tijuana. There is a fear that the arrival of the deportees — with slim resources and no family or social networks to support them — will lead to an increase in crime and further damage to the frail economy.

Source: Frontera