Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2013 shows the Mexican flag waving in front of the Tijuana River canal, home of an uncertain number of people, mostly deported immigrant, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police initiated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homeless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city which holds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) 
Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2013 shows a man rests in the Tijuana River canal, near the border between Mexico and the United States, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police initiated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homeless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city which holds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) 
Photo taken on Aug. 22, 2013 shows Adrian Madrigal Valencia, 26, who was deported from the United States two years ago, covers his face as he poses in the zone known as "the square map" by the Tijuana River canal, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. Adrian was a victim of Police's harassment and extortion since he got to Tijuana, when some cops asked him to give them money, and then, whenever he bumped into them on the street, he had to give them money again, "I had money my family sent from the U.S., but those cops took me as their ATM machine". The last time he was arrested, Police blamed him on drug sales charges but the judge who took his case didn't buy the story and put him into jail only for drug possession. Two months ago, after spending three months behind bars, Adrian decided to be cautious and not to go back to his former place of living, that's how he got to "el bordo", where he is waiting his chance to go back to the U.S., where his 9-year-old son and his whole family live. Adrian says he is rather to "take the risk to cross the border without any papers and spend from 5 to 20 years in a U.S. Federal prison", instead of keep being extorted in Mexico. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police initiated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homeless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city which holds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) 
Photo taken on Aug. 22, 2013 shows Roberto Marquez, 51, poses in the camp installed by the social organization "Border Angels" at the zone known as "the map square" by the Tijuana River canal, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. Roberto, who arrived to the city of Los Angeles at age 2, was accused of murder and stays imprisoned for 31 years in the U.S. Since his deportation to Mexico, three years ago, he is waiting for his parole to be over, so he can get his papers and go back to the U.S. Even though he is a refrigeration technician, currently he works in a local market. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police initiated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homeless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city which holds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) 
Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2013 of Julio Romero Salas, 59, resting outside of his shack at "el bordo" in the Tijuana River canal, near the border between Mexico and the United States, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. Julio was deported from Los Angeles, in the United States, six years ago and since he lives in the Tijuana area known as "el bordo". "I'm used to live here in the border, no problem", he said and tells the Police has stopped harassing him because of his age. However, he stills prevents to be arrested during the Police's special operations. Julio cleans shoes for a living in Tijuana's downtown and keeps in touch by the phone with his family. He says he doesn't feel the urge anymore to live in the U.S. and that in some ways he is realized as a person. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police iniciated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city wich helds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) 
Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2013 shows Santiago Elizondo Mares, known as "El Bigotes", born in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, poses at International Avenue, by the Tijuana River canal, in the city of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico. Santiago lived three years at "el bordo", after his deportation from the United States six years ago. Since he joined the "Border Angels" social organization three years ago, Santiago has worked in a camp for homeless people installed by the "Angels" in the zone known as "the map square", where he constantly faces the Police threats. On Aug. 5, local authorities started a 40 million pesos (300,000 US Dollar) investment project to clean off the garbage, soil and brushwood of the Tijuana River canal, an area commonly known as "el bordo" (the dam). Simultaneously, the Tijuana City Police initiated an operation to evict the people living in "el bordo", mostly immigrants who where deported from the U.S. and homeless people with no household alternative and usually living with drug issues. After several protests and demonstrations held by social organizations, the "human cleaning" decreased but the Police Department detentions and abuse persist against people living near or at "el bordo". According to social researchers of the College of the Northern Border (Colegio de la Frontera Norte), "Without a coordinated and oriented action that combines the efforts of the Government and society, Tijuana will remain to be acknowledged as the city which holds no respect for the deported immigrants human rights". (Xinhua/Guillermo Arias) |
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