The area where the first Ukrainians arrived last week to apply for asylum while fleeing the war against Russia looked completely different on Wednesday.
It is the pedestrian checkpoint between Tijuana and San Diego County, which was surrounded by migrants of different nationalities on Wednesday, who with blankets, chairs and even umbrellas created what could be the next migrant camp in the city.
In the San Ysidro Point of Entry, this kind of migrant camp was set up. However, it no longer has Ukrainians now, it is mostly Russians.
Young people and adults at the site said they counted up to 25 people of Russian origin, including several children and a pregnant woman.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
At the site, most of them said they were fleeing the conditions of war, and others like Anton, from the political persecution that exists in that country.
Russians in the area also said that in some cases they arrived in Tijuana four days ago and that they are waiting for authorities in the United States to let them cross.
"We have not received a comment about the whole situation, we cannot enter and ask for asylum because of this title 42, but Ukrainians can do it? It is not logical," said Anton, a Russian.
Local
Many also said that they have not bathed for days, and have obtained food thanks to organizations and Russian migrants who come to support them.
As the days progress, the community that has been there camping, added that they are only looking for information as to when they will be able to cross into the United States and said they do not consider it safe to return to Russia.
The City Council of Tijuana reported that through the municipal Direction of Attention to Migrants (DMAM) they visited the San Ysidro checkpoint Wednesday for a tour where migrants are waiting for political asylum.
The DMAM said they told Russian migrants they need to move to one of the shelters that operate within the city, so they do not clog the entrance near the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
"The government of the city of Tijuana invites you to go to shelters that are provided free of charge for you, in case you do not have money to pay for a hotel room. You are not being denied the right to asylum, you simply cannot stay long in the border area or sleep in this public space," said one of the paragraphs of the document delivered, according to the DMAM.
