Tijuana is a city shaped by movement. Home to the busiest border crossing in the world Despite being a place countless people travel through the city is no stopover; it’s a destination in its own right Better known as “Nana,” Sánchez is a proud Tijuanense and the founder of walking tour company Nana en Tijuana, with which she showcases the real Tijuana Sánchez says to start in Zona Centro (downtown) or Zona Río, the city’s main hubs for food, shopping, and entertainment. The Cacho neighborhood is the go-to spot for trendy cafés and bars, while Hipódromo offers a bustling stadium and the massive Casino Caliente Sports fans should visit between April and June to catch a Xolos soccer match Of course, it’s not only Mexican fare in TJ. To explore other cuisines, “I’d go to Chan’s Bistro for Chinese food And, there’s Caesar’s, where its namesake salad was invented just over a century ago “Order half a salad and some snacks from the tapas menu,” Gómez advises When it comes to caffeinated bevs, Gómez is partial to Pichino’s Coffee & Crew, Montenegro Café “Order it with Cascahuín Blanco or Orendain,” Gómez suggests If craft beer is more your style, try Farland Aleworks, Madueño Brewing Co., and Cervecería Insurgente And many of these spots can slake a thirst for cultura the jazz scene has been growing in different bars and coffee shops around the city,” Gómez says explore Tijuana’s nightlife— join a free dance lesson or do an impromptu bar crawl through Zona Centro Mateo Hoke is San Diego Magazine’s executive editor His books include Six by Ten: Stories from Solitary and Palestine Speaks: Narratives of Life Under Occupation Amelia Rodriguez is San Diego Magazine’s Associate Editor The winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award and other national and regional publications you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her three-year Duolingo streak By clicking subscribe you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] By clicking Subscribe you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 San Diego Magazine 1230 Columbia Street, Suite 800, San Diego, CA Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, center, speaks to media while leaving a press conference Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in San Diego. (Ana Ramirez/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and other local and federal elected officials speak during a press conference about the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in San Diego. (Ana Ramirez/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks during a press conference for an update on the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in San Diego. (Ana Ramirez/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks during a press conference for an update on the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in San Diego. (Ana Ramirez/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Lee Zeldin made the demand during an Earth Day trip to the California-Mexico border, where he toured a plant in San Diego County that treats the sewage as a secondary facility and flew along the frontier to see the Tijuana River. He also was scheduled to meet with SEALs. Zeldin said that in the next day or so, his agency will present Mexico a to-do list of projects to resolve the decades-long environmental crisis, but he stopped short of specifying how the Trump administration would hold Mexico accountable if it does not act. The problem is “top of mind” for President Donald Trump, Zeldin said, while adding that they have not talked about possibly imposing tariffs if nothing is done. “We’re going to know whether or not Mexico is going to do its part to resolve it, and then we’ll go from there, as far as strategy and tactics,” Zeldin said. Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resources secretary, said her country also wants to resolve the problem. She met with Zeldin the previous evening and said they made progress in finding solutions. “We are here because we want to solve this,” Bárcena said in a statement in Spanish. “Not only so there is no untreated wastewater on Mexican beaches, but in the United States as well.” The 120-mile (195 km)-long Tijuana River runs near the coast in Mexico and crosses into Southern California, where it flows through Navy-owned land and out to the Pacific. As Tijuana’s wastewater treatment plants have aged and its population and industry have boomed, an increasing amount of toxins have made their way into the river and into San Diego County — since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage laden with industrial chemicals and trash. The pollution has sickened not only swimmers, surfers and lifeguards but also schoolchildren, Border Patrol agents and others who do not even go in the water. Scientists say the sewage is vaporized when it foams up and enters the air people breathe. The Navy is reviewing whether to relocate its training site for SEAL candidates after the Naval Special Warfare Center reported 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses of its recruits from 2019 to 2023. California beaches near the border have been closed more often than not over the past four years. Since 2020 more than $653 million in funds have been allocated to address the issue, but the crisis has continued largely because of delays by the Mexican government, Zeldin said. He added that he and Trump are hopeful that will change under the relatively new administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office last October. Zeldin said that after meeting with Mexico officials in San Diego for 90 minutes, he was left with the impression that Sheinbaum and her environmental secretary want to have a “strong collaborative relationship.” “What’s being communicated by the new Mexican president is an intense desire to fully resolve this situation,” Zeldin said. But he made clear that he wants Mexico to step up. “There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not getting anywhere,” he said. “So we are all out of patience.” Flanked by lawmakers from both parties, Zeldin noted that cleanup efforts have rare bipartisan support. Zeldin visited the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was built with funds from both countries to treat 25 million gallons per day as a secondary plant on the U.S. side. Mexico is working on several wastewater treatment projects to reduce the flow and make major upgrades to its existing plants. Bárcena said the now-repaired San Antonio de los Buenos plant, which went back to operating at full capacity this month, should make a difference. But Zeldin said Mexico must complete a number of other projects, including installing floodgates to collect trash in Tijuana. Another one being considered would divert 10 million gallons of sewage away from the shore. Associated Press writer María Verza in Mexico City contributed. Show Search Search Query Submit Search Don't Miss Print The Tijuana River has for decades been plagued with pollution from Mexico fouling beaches near the U.S.-Mexico border with raw sewage.The group American Rivers has ranked the Tijuana River the nation’s second most endangered this year 9 last year.Environmental advocates say the U.S urgently needs to provide more funding to fix a wastewater treatment plant north of the U.S.-Mexico border The Tijuana River has been plagued with raw sewage and industrial waste from Tijuana for decades fouling beaches along the U.S.-Mexico border with polluted water and sending foul odors drifting through communities in San Diego County On Wednesday, the environmental group American Rivers ranked the Tijuana River No. 2 on its annual list of the nation’s most endangered rivers The group said it elevated the river on the list right behind the first-ranked Mississippi River to bring greater attention to the waterway’s chronic pollution problems and the lack of action to clean it up Activists with another group, Surfrider Foundation, are also circulating a petition calling for President Trump to declare a national emergency to expedite efforts to curb the flow of untreated sewage and clean up the river explains why the Tijuana River is unable to flow due to vegetation overgrowth (Hayne Palmour IV / For The Times) “The Tijuana River has moved from just being a pollution problem to being a public health crisis Elevating the Tijuana River on our most endangered rivers list reflects that urgency,” said Ann Willis American Rivers’ California regional director “What we need urgently is for the Trump administration to make a federal emergency declaration This would free up funding to address some of the right-now problems.” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin responded to the announcement of the river’s ranking in an emailed statement saying “the raw sewage flowing from Mexico into the Tijuana River is creating serious detrimental issues for communities with affected waterways.” “Ensuring America’s waters are clean is part of EPA’s core mission and I look forward to being on the ground in San Diego in a few days to assess the situation and hear directly from those affected,” Zeldin said “It is top of mind knowing that as this issue persists more and more Navy SEALs remain at risk of sickness because of the contaminated waterways they train in I strongly believe the time has come to finalize and implement an urgent strategy to end decades of raw sewage entering the U.S.” government to repair and maintain sewage treatment facilities that regularly break down the environmental groups called for Mexico to take additional steps to fix sewage leaks and make other improvements on its side of the border They noted that Mexico has made progress in recent years. Tijuana recently completed construction of a new sewage treatment plant in the area of San Antonio de los Buenos a project that is part of a larger infrastructure plan developed by the U.S “We need both federal governments to step up and do more,” said Sarah Davidson manager of Surfrider’s Clean Border Water Now program “It will require cooperation across the border It will require diplomacy and long-term funding from both governments so it’s necessary to find those avenues to work with the Mexican government as well.” Tijuana River Valley resident Derek Spencer stands near a spray-painted message next to the Tijuana River (Hayne Palmour IV / For The Times) Willis said funding from the U.S government is needed to fix the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant north of the border which handles sewage from Tijuana and is in disrepair as well as measures such as pollution monitoring and health studies in communities near the river “Pollution from the Tijuana River is carried not just in the river itself but it moves into the air when the river flows into the ocean and the ocean spray turns the pollution into an aerosol,” Willis said The Tijuana River flows 120 miles, starting in Baja California and crossing into Southern California, then reaching the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach. Beaches near the river mouth and the sewage treatment plant outfall have regularly been closed because of high levels of bacteria in the ocean. Climate & Environment The Tijuana River has been polluted for decades south San Diego residents say the smell — and their respiratory illnesses — has gotten worse Residents have also raised concerns about the potential health effects of high levels of hydrogen sulfide and other gases and vapors emanating from the river. “This is one of the largest ongoing public health and environmental justice crises in our country,” Davidson said. “It’s similar to other environmental catastrophes, like the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and elsewhere, and we really just need more awareness, more pressure, more prioritization in our federal government to get the funding on the issue that we require for solutions.” As they held a news conference by the river Wednesday, Davidson and others wore respirators to protect themselves from the air pollution. “It really is impacting every aspect of community life for those communities in and near the Tijuana River Valley,” Davidson said. “So it’s a pretty desperate situation, and we really just need all of the help we can get from everyone at every level of government.” Ian James is a reporter who focuses on water and climate change in California and the West. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2021, he was an environment reporter at the Arizona Republic and the Desert Sun. He previously worked for the Associated Press as a correspondent in the Caribbean and as bureau chief in Venezuela. Follow him on Bluesky @ianjames.bsky.social and on X @ByIanJames. California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Haitian migrants are among those staying at the Albergue Assabil shelter in Tijuana TIJUANA — When the Russian man arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border on March 1 he held on to hope that even with President Trump in office he could be let into the United States to seek asylum Slavik said he fled Russia after being beaten by security forces for supporting the opposing political party he spent weeks at a shelter for migrants in Tijuana as he mulled over what to do next “I just tried to do by rules and wait,” said Slavik who asked to be identified by his nickname for fear of retribution In Tijuana, thousands of migrants such as Slavik had tried to secure an appointment with immigration officials through a Biden administration phone application, but Trump canceled the program, in effect blocking access to asylum. Many have since left the region. With no way to legally enter the U.S., the mood among migrants still in Tijuana has shifted from cautious optimism to hopelessness. Shelters are no longer full, and directors say those who remain are among the most vulnerable. Politics Trump’s immigration crackdown has slowed migrant crossings to a near halt funding cuts by the Trump administration to the U.S have brought some shelters to the brink of closure tightened others’ budgets and significantly reduced migrant healthcare services Enduring organizations now struggle to fill the gaps but there are none now,” said Lindsay Toczylowski co-founder and chief executive of the Los Angeles-based Immigrant Defenders Law Center She visits Tijuana shelters a few times a month “It’s them asking a lot of questions and us saying Haitian migrants stay at the Albergue Assabil shelter in Tijuana The center serves mostly Muslim migrants but also people from all over the world Although illegal border crossings are down to a trickle Toczylowski and other advocates believe they will eventually begin to increase first living in Turkey and Georgia before realizing that He can’t go back to Russia, where he would be considered a terrorist sponsor for donating to the campaign of Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s biggest political rival, who died under suspicious circumstances last year But staying in Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America would be difficult He speaks basic English and has considered going to Canada but friends told him it’s difficult as well to obtain asylum there Now Slavik is starting to feel like he has no other choice but to try to get into the U.S a shelter that serves mostly Muslim migrants Director Angie Magaña said half of the 130 people living there before the U.S presidential election in the fall have since left Many went back to their home countries — including Russia Tajikistan and Afghanistan — despite the dangers they could face Haircuts were being offered in the courtyard and residents helped carry in cases of donated bottled water those having breakfast and tea cleared the tables as members of a humanitarian organization arrived to play games with the children director of the Albergue Assabil shelter in Tijuana Magaña said she’s frank with those who remain: “Most people have the hope that something will happen I tell them their best bet is to get asylum here” in Mexico Toczylowski said this administration differs substantially from Trump’s first term when she could seek humanitarian entry for particularly desperate cases such as a woman fleeing a dangerous relationship Now whenever a woman says her abuser has found her and she asks Toczylowski what she can do “it’s the first time in my career that we can say In the weeks after the phone app for border appointments was eliminated including those with children who have disabilities She said a Border Patrol agent told them there was no process to seek asylum and turned them away The U.S. military has added layers of concertina wire to six miles of the border fence near San Ysidro acting chief patrol agent of the Border Patrol’s San Diego sector “We would rather have them enter at a port of entry and hopefully this guides them in that direction.” He did not address the fact that the government has essentially stopped considering asylum requests at ports of entry limited exceptions have been made for unaccompanied children Migrant Haitians stay at the Albergue Assabil shelter in Tijuana. Many Haitians, who fled gang violence in Haiti, have been in limbo, living at this Muslim shelter since the U.S. immigration crackdown. The halting of USAID funds is also transforming life at the border Trump signed an executive order freezing U.S pending a review of efficiency and alignment with foreign policy The order says foreign aid is “not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values.” An April 3 report by the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute found that up to $2.3 billion in migration-related grants appear on leaked lists shared with Congress of terminated foreign aid from USAID and the State Department Among the funding — which provided humanitarian assistance countered human trafficking and enabled refugee resettlement — was $200 million focused specifically on deterring migration from Central America The fallout from the cuts has already begun, the report states. For instance, the government of Ecuador used the withdrawal of foreign aid to justify rescinding amnesty for Venezuelan migrants which could have dissuaded some from continuing north toward the United States Midwife Ximena Rojas and her team of two doulas run a birthing center and offer sexual and reproductive care to migrants. With the closure of AVES and concerns about Casa del Migrante — which has a partnership with the Tijuana government for weekly doctor visits — Rojas said the pressure is mounting on her small operation to somehow expand its reach. “We are at max capacity,” she said. “We need an army.” Rojas said she’s considering opening a food bank for migrants to make up for the loss of U.S.-government supported assistance. “Our goal is to diminish infant death, also maternal death. The best way to do it is with nutrition,” Rojas said. “I give them a prenatal vitamin every day, but if they are eating [only] a banana a day, it’s like, a vitamin can only do so much.” Many shelters counted on funds from the International Organization for Migration for groceries. At Espacio Migrante, the money paid for imported ingredients that allowed families from countries such as Russia and Uzbekistan to cook religiously or culturally appropriate meals. At La Casita de Union Trans, a shelter for transgender women, the 6,000 pesos the facility got each month (about $300) went toward basic necessities — eggs, cooking oil and milk. But director Susy Barrales said U.S. politics won’t stop trans women from seeking safety, or the shelter trying to support them. “I want the girls to study, to obtain a profession, so they can confront anything that comes their way — because I’ve done it,” said Barrales, who is studying for a social work license. “We are going to keep striving.” Shelter residents include Miranda Torres, 31, a hairstylist who fled Venezuela in July after she was raped by strangers and police refused to investigate. She said the assault infected her with HIV. Venezuela’s ongoing economic collapse meant she had no access to treatment. Torres said she walked north through the Darien Gap, a dangerous 60-mile stretch of jungle that straddles the border dividing Colombia and Panama, where she was sexually assaulted again. Venezuelan migrant Miranda Torres, 31, cries as she recalls the violence she endured while traveling from her homeland to Tijuana. She has been staying at La Casita de Union Trans. In Oaxaca, Mexico, she was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and went through surgery and chemotherapy. She now bears a round scar on her neck and covers her bald head with a wig. After taking time to recover, Torres finally arrived in Tijuana in December, where she slept atop a cardboard box on the street while making repeated and increasingly dangerous attempts to enter the U.S. Unable to secure an appointment through the phone app, she went to the San Ysidro port of entry, waiting outside for four days to speak with an agent. She was turned away and then detained by Mexican immigration officials before being released because of her health conditions. Torres said men belonging to a criminal group began to target her, saying they would harm her if she didn’t cross the border. So she attempted to climb the border fence but was too weak to hoist herself up. Then they told her to swim around the fence that extends into the Pacific Ocean. She nearly drowned. Now, Torres has given up on the U.S. and is applying for asylum in Mexico. “My dreams are in my head, not in any particular country,” she said, seated on a bunk bed in one of La Casita’s two bedrooms while Chappell Roan’s hit “Pink Pony Club” played from someone’s phone in the living room. “If they’re not possible in the U.S., I’ll make them happen here.” Dessire López walks back inside La Casita de Union Trans in Tijuana. López is a health advocate at the shelter. Special correspondent Gabriela Martínez Córdova contributed to this article. Andrea Castillo covers immigration. Before joining the Los Angeles Times, she covered immigrant, ethnic and LGBTQ+ communities for the Fresno Bee. She got her start at the Oregonian in Portland. A native of Seattle, she’s been making her way down the West Coast since her graduation from Washington State University. Genaro Molina is an award-winning staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times. He has worked in journalism for more than 35 years starting at the San Francisco Chronicle. Molina has photographed the life and death of Pope John Paul II, the tragedy of AIDS in Africa, the impact of Hurricane Katrina, and Cuba after Castro. His work has appeared in nine books and his photographs have been exhibited extensively including at the Smithsonian Institute and the Annenberg Space for Photography. World & Nation Print EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visited the Tijuana River and called for Mexico to take urgent steps to help stop the flow of untreated sewage on the border and Mexican officials plan to collaborate on a “100% solution” to halt the flow of raw sewage in the river EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Tuesday called for Mexico and the U.S to develop a “100% solution” to stop the flow of raw sewage from Tijuana that has polluted the Tijuana River and left communities near the border coping with foul odors and beaches that are often closed because of high bacteria levels “Americans on our side of the border who have been dealing with this for decades are out of patience,” Zeldin said during a news conference in San Diego Zeldin visited the river north of the border and met with Mexican government officials as well as local officials in San Diego County He said the Trump administration is seeking “max collaboration and extreme urgency to end a crisis that should have ended a long time ago.” The Tijuana River has been plagued with untreated sewage and industrial waste from Tijuana for decades The city’s growth has far outpaced the existing sewage treatment plants and inadequate and broken facilities spew waste into the river polluting the water and air in Imperial Beach and other communities near the border Zeldin met for about 90 minutes on Monday night with Mexican Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena and other Mexican officials who he said indicated that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her administration are “fully committed to doing their part to resolving this issue.” Bárcena said in a post on social media that it was a “very productive meeting.” “We agreed to reinforce our joint actions,” Bárcena said, “to accelerate the projects to address the sanitation of Rio Tijuana for the well-being of our communities.” Zeldin said Mexico still needs to provide $88 million that it previously pledged in a 2022 agreement. He said that U.S. and Mexican officials soon plan to draw up a “specific statement from both countries” outlining actions the Mexican government will take to help address the problems. “We all need to be on the same page on the 100% solution from the U.S. side that if all of these things on that list get done, this crisis is over,” Zeldin said. President Trump has threatened to slap new tariffs on Mexico for failing to deliver water under a decades-old treaty But climate change has decimated river flows but said the goal should be to “to get every project done as fast as humanly possible.” The environmental group American Rivers last week ranked the Tijuana River No 2 on its annual list of the nation’s most endangered rivers The group said it elevated the river on the list to bring greater attention to the waterway’s chronic pollution problems and the lack of action to clean it up Environmental advocates have urged the U.S government to prioritize fixing and expanding the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant north of the border where he met with Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and other officials With him were members of Congress including Reps Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) and Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) Levin said the U.S. government has appropriated $653 million for fixing and expanding the South Bay wastewater plant — an amount that steadily increased after an initial $300 million was committed in 2020 “We’ve got to get those shovels in the ground,” Levin said “We’ve got to get the South Bay plant up and running Zeldin also said he was meeting with Navy SEALs who train in the area and have suffered illnesses because of the polluted water the Department of Defense said about 1,100 cases of illness were reported among Navy SEALS and other service members who were exposed to high levels of bacteria when they trained in and around the ocean near the border It’s only gotten worse,” said Dan’l Steward a retired Navy captain and former SEAL who lives in Coronado but did not attend Tuesday’s events Steward got sick after basic underwater SEAL training and had to take antibiotics to recover Steward said he has heard similar stories from SEALs and candidates who undergo training along the beaches in Coronado “It’s a national security issue,” Steward said “it’s limiting them in their ability to properly train and it’s endangering their lives for the ones that are going through basic training in particular.” Others affected, he said, include Marines, Coast Guard service members and Border Patrol agents. Steward said his daughter, while surfing nearby, became sick with an infection from a type of bacteria called MRSA, which is resistant to many antibiotics. “The United States has a role to help improve the situation,” Steward said. “We all have a role to play here. And I also feel that’s the only way to solve the problem.” Ramon Chairez, director of environmental advocacy for the Encinitas-based nonprofit group Un Mar de Colores, said he’d like to see various actions taken on the U.S. side of the border, including working to dismantle culverts where polluted water cascades down and sends noxious water vapor and gases into the air. American Rivers ranks the Tijuana River No and Mexico to address the flow of raw sewage Chairez said he thought Zeldin’s focus on collaboration between Mexico and the U.S I think the general tone is pointing more towards holding Mexico accountable although there’s some acknowledgment that it’s going to be a collaborative effort on both sides of the border,” Chairez said One topic that wasn’t discussed but has contributed to the problems is that many U.S.-based companies have set up factories on the Mexican side of the border “I didn’t hear a word about maquiladoras and factories and industries on the Mexican side and holding them accountable,” he said “There’s American and California-based corporations operating all along the border and they’re polluting the river just as much.” Matthew Tejada, senior vice president of environmental health for the Natural Resources Defense Fund, said the commitments from U.S. officials sound good, but delivering on those pledges will be more complicated because of cuts in budget and staffing. He noted that Zeldin has said he wants to eliminate 65% of the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget. “It will be an interesting trick for EPA to achieve exactly those sorts of outcomes while they are internally tearing down the very staff and systems they need to actually make those changes happen,” Tejada said. He said the Trump administration’s recent actions, including cutting funding and rolling back environmental protection measures, are “making it that much harder for this country to actually have clean air, clean land and clean water.” which is how I was first introduced to him But he is also a Sinatra-style crooner and the author of a memoir “Bittersweet Treasures: A Father’s Journey Through Loss & Healing,” in which he shares the heartbreaking story of his wife who tragically died in the same helicopter crash that took the lives of Kobe Bryant and seven others All proceeds from his book go towards The Christina Mauser Foundation which supports women and girls in sports through scholarships and financial aid he talks about growing up in Huntington Beach and working as a lifeguard He also shares how he holds the unofficial record for swimming the backstroke around the pier Mauser wrote his first song at 8 years old and became skilled at the guitar at 15 He discusses what ignited his passion for music and how the Tijuana Dogs came to be a staple in the local music scene The name came from a trip to Mexico where he noticed dogs running around in Tijuana teaching Spanish at Harbor Day school and meeting Kobe Bryant he shares what the writing process was like and how listeners can get involved with The Christina Mauser Foundation Listen and watch every Thursday here. Assistant Professor Erin Siegal McIntyre’s “Crossing Borders: Human Rights Journalism and the Law” course will celebrate a semester’s worth of work and their reporting and research trip to Tijuana and the U.S-Mexico border with an evening of public-facing student team presentations Students will present their work and reflections about their semester and experiences reporting and serving as human rights observers on the U.S.-Mexico border The Tijuana River is an intermittent river that flows 120 miles through the Mexican state of Baja California then crosses the U.S.-Mexico border into southern California for 5 miles before flowing into the Tijuana River Estuary and ends where it connects to the Pacific Ocean near San Diego The river is home to the Kumeyaay Nation and over 2.8 million residents on both sides of the border The river’s watershed covers 1,750-square-miles and mostly lies within northwestern Mexico where there has been extensive development around the river The lower Tijuana watershed is located in the Southwest United States and is largely undeveloped.  decades of mismanagement and under-investment in wastewater infrastructure have led to long-running Clean Water Act violations impacting communities in Imperial Beach and south San Diego limiting coastal access and sickening communities exposed to airborne pollutants and sewage.   Frontline communities have advocated for solutions for decades and advocates have been successful in forming a coalition of over 50 local organizations After American Rivers named the Tijuana River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers in 2024 this coalition secured millions of dollars in funding to implement the Comprehensive Infrastructure Solution (CIS) a plan to fix failing wastewater treatment plants and stop pollution discharges into the Tijuana River While this plan has been vetted by the U.S millions of dollars are still needed to maintain broken wastewater treatment plants discharging into the river to prevent recurring crises and divert pollution from flowing into the main river channel near residential neighborhoods and schools.   The Tijuana River flows from Mexico into California The Tijuana River flows South to North from Mexico into California The Tijuana Estuary is a National Estuarine Research Reserve that protects the largest remaining natural coastal wetland in southern California The Reserve contains one of California’s few remaining salt marshes and is home to over 370 birds and other endangered species The Tijuana River flows into a marine protected area and a world-renowned surf break known as “The Sloughs.” With unparalleled beauty and world-class waves health officials have closed local beaches citing a mounting public health crisis from exposure to sewage-laden waters.  The Tijuana River was named as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2025. Listed for the second year in a row the Tijuana River is known for its communities on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border as well as stunning beaches world-class surf breaks and diverse wildlife has been plagued with severe pollution for decades millions of gallons of contaminated stormwater and trash flow down the river into the Pacific Ocean Protecting our communities and ensuring clean water is a non-partisan issue—it’s a matter of basic governance and national responsibility The Trump administration must act decisively to declare a federal emergency to address this public health crisis Join American Rivers and the American Rivers Action Fund in urging the Trump administration to declare a national emergency for the water pollution and public health crisis on the Tijuana River The polluted water in the Tijuana River aerosolizes as sea spray Doctors and researchers often note correlations between urgent care visits with coastal pollution events Researchers have installed air quality monitors in coastal communities to track air quality and public health impacts in south San Diego County and Border Patrol agents who operate in the region are often training on contaminated coastlines “An entire generation of children is growing up in South San Diego County having only experienced polluted beaches,” wrote Imperial Beach Mayor Aguirre in her June 6 This is a grave public health crisis and an environmental justice emergency.  In 2024 the Tijuana River was listed on the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list by American Rivers due to pollution limiting coastal access and causing serious threats to public health American Rivers along with partners called on the Federal Government to take decisive and immediate action to address the crisis in the Tijuana River Watershed by fully funding the solutions needed to restore a clean and safe environment for the affected communities we have had the immense honor of joining our Tijuana River partners it celebrated the people who continue to fight for justice for the Tijuana River toxic waste and raw sewage have flowed into the Tijuana River Watershed and out into the Pacific Ocean These year-round transboundary flows measure 35-50 million gallons per day These flows carry trash from Tijuana’s urban area untreated wastewater from failing treatment systems and sub-standard sewage disposal and toxic industrial waste from factories upstream high water flows and pollution overwhelm the region’s wastewater treatment plants creating hazardous conditions for coastal communities and ecosystems at the U.S.-Mexico border The volume of water and pollution overwhelms regional infrastructure and creates dangerous conditions for the natural environment and local communities in the U.S Wastewater treatment plants on both sides of the border regularly fail and are severely under-capacity due to decades of under-investment and deferred maintenance The resulting sewage discharges into the Pacific Ocean do not meet U.S or Mexican regulations and travel up the coast with summer currents A 2017 study by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography linked 34,000 illnesses to water pollution at Imperial Beach’s coastline.   This episode is on site where a beautiful desert mountain river flows through an estuary and into the Pacific Ocean it navigates through a dense urban border region with 5 million people The outcome is a river that is carrying toxic sewage and pollution to the ocean closing beaches and creating illness in the river and beach communities This is the first episode in a series about this beautiful place and the incredible people who are engaged in the work to clean up this river and ocean We’re hard at work in the California for rivers and clean water Sign up to get the most important news affecting your water and rivers delivered right to your inbox Every $1 donated to American Rivers helps us make rivers clean and healthy for people and wildlife Don’t let the latest river news and actions pass you by Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker San Diego's congressional delegation Wednesday requested a meeting with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on the Tijuana River Valley's pollution crisis during his upcoming visit to San Diego "We appreciate your attention to the cross-border sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley," Reps "This pollution has had a devastating impact on our public health our congressional delegation has fought to raise awareness secured over half a billion dollars to upgrade the South Bay treatment plant and continued to work with Mexico to ensure they do their part." The request comes just days after noxious odors from massive wastewater dumping prompted county health guidance for residents near the Tijuana River and San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond called on the federal government to impose penalties against Mexico if it continues such dumping Mexico has been allowed to get away with releasing hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the United States — poisoning our beaches and even forcing Navy SEALs to relocate training operations," Desmond said Desmond urged the federal government to restrict the flow of potable water to Tijuana and consider limiting cross-border travel between Mexico and the United States in the region asking Zeldin for a meeting to discuss the needs of the community "All these efforts require strong collaboration with the administration," they wrote Our focus has always been on getting results and relief for everyone impacted by this terrible pollution." Vargas and California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff invited Zeldin to visit the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant to see firsthand the ongoing environmental and public health harm cross-border sewage is wreaking on the South Bay After he was sworn in by President Donald Trump the EPA announced plans to cut agency jobs former EPA Administrator Michael Regan toured the Tijuana River Valley at the request of Vargas and Peters the San Diego delegation hosted State Department Deputy Secretary Richard Verma EPA Region 9 Administrator Martha Guzman and other officials in San Diego at the South Bay treatment plant the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District reported higher-than-normal hydrogen sulfide readings from the Tijuana River prompting the county to offer guidance to residents concerned about the air the increase in odors "appears to be associated with reports from the (International Boundary and Water Commission) that sewage infrastructure work in Mexico has resulted in the release of up to 5 million gallons per night of sewage into the Tijuana River Valley." The heavy flow of wastewater reported in the past week comes in addition to "rogue sewage flows" being investigated by the IBWC with its partners in Mexico The IBWC operates the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant and is tasked with collaborating with Mexico on border water issues county public health officials urged nearby residents to limit outdoor activities keep doors closed and use indoor fans and air purifiers to increase circulation and the quality of air The APCD offers free purifiers for those in the three principally effected ZIP codes — 91932 92154 and 92173 — representing Imperial Beach Residents can apply for purifiers at sdapcd.org/content/sdapcd/about/tj-river-valley/aire.html co-workers and families who live or work near the Tijuana River Valley deserve access to clean air and beaches," said Dr the county's interim public health officer "While the county continues to advocate to the federal government for a solution that stops the flow of untreated wastewater we also want people to be aware of the steps they can take when confronted by offensive hydrogen sulfide odors." or other chronic lung conditions should have emergency medications such as rescue inhalers readily available Mexico began releasing between 3-5 million gallons of wastewater daily last week into the Tijuana River as the country works on a major infrastructure project in Tijuana to replace a sewer pipeline "The county of San Diego urges federal officials to continue working with their counterparts in Mexico on stopping the flow of raw sewage and bringing an ultimate resolution to this longtime source of water and air pollution," according to a statement from the county Mexico is diverting untreated wastewater into the Tijuana River as it works to repair its faulty sewage infrastructure About five million gallons per day (MGD) have been diverted since April 8 as Mexico repairs a critical junction box that is a part of its International Collector project The junction box must be dried so it can be rebuilt with reinforced concrete Mexico shut off the water supply to a portion of Tijuana for other projects which eliminated the need to divert wastewater into the Tijuana River the average daily impact has been three million gallons per day section of the International Boundary and Water Commission To help remove as much wastewater as possible from the river Mexico is working to activate its PBCILA lift station which is usually turned off during the dry season It is expected to be operational by Sunday Mexico borrowed a front-end loader from the US to remove sediment near the PBCILA station and expedite the work The International Collector is a pipeline that carries raw sewage from Tijuana to treatment plants Mexico is relining the existing pipeline and will connect a bypass line in the interim In early March Mexico discovered two unknown lines sending excess flow into the International Collector but the second has not yet been identified Phase 1 of the project – installing the new pipeline – is expected to be complete by April 17 in which Mexico will rehabilitate its old International Collector it’s anticipated that the collector will not send wastewater to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) in San Diego for six days are making plans to mitigate the impact the pause will create the IBWC and Mexico are discussing a potential April 21 start date for Phase 2 Mexico initially proposed that the International Collector project be completed in just one phase which would have sent 25-30 MGD of wastewater into the Tijuana River for three to four weeks Department of State urged Mexico to implement a bypass solution Doing it this way is expected to prevent more than half a billion gallons of wastewater from reaching the river it’s not as bad as the 25 MGD that could have wound up in the river under other alternatives that had been considered,” Giner said Mexico is now finalizing its long anticipated San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant (SAB) which is expected to make a significant dent in the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis Giner said it is expected to be in compliance with Mexican standards in two to three weeks During Phase 2 of the International Collector project and flow from the International Collector will be sent to the SAB plant The PBCILA will be turned on again once Phase 2 is complete The International Collector is the largest wastewater conveyance pipe in Tijuana, and it has been plagued by leaks. Once complete, it will have the capacity to carry up to 60 million gallons per day of untreated sewage to treatment plants in the US and Mexico. San Diego’s own treatment plant is currently being expanded I understand the critical role infrastructure plays in public health and environmental protection The ongoing sewage discharge into the Tijuana River during essential repairs highlights the urgent need for durable It’s imperative that we prioritize long-term resilience in our projects to prevent such environmental impacts Thank you for bringing attention to this pressing issue.​ And of course millions of hard-working U.S taxpayers dollars are paying for this so called upgrade of the sewer system they will run into problems that will require more money from us and then “we just don’t have the money to maintain our mexican sewage plant” can you imagine the who will be on the mexican payroll when it’s done (which it will never be done) every so called engineer in Tijuana will be on the payroll The Coronado Times newspaper provides in-depth coverage of Coronado, CA. Our online publication has been Coronado's trusted news source for over 20 years. Our staff is local and committed to quality coverage of our Coronado community. Learn more about our publication. Send Us News Tips & Story Ideas: [email protected] Content may not be re-published online or offline without permission Near the south end of Saturn Boulevard in Nestor, foam clouds float on top of the Tijuana River and the smell of rotten eggs fills the air. Levels of hydrogen sulfide have been higher in the area than usual since April 9 due to hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater flowing into the river from Mexico The Tijuana River is the second most endangered river in the country according to a report published Wednesday by the National environmental advocacy organization American Rivers The report authors cite the ongoing border sewage crisis as the reason for the river's placement at the top of the list They say protecting communities and ensuring clean water is a matter of national responsibility They are calling on the Trump administration to “act decisively to declare a federal emergency to address this public health crisis.” Imperial Beach leaders are calling for a new local emergency to address the cross-border sewage crisis. Imperial Beach Councilman Mitch McKay planned to introduce a resolution at Wednesday night’s city council meeting renewing the city’s local emergency declaration there's several recommendations and actions that go all the way up to the executive branch." The resolution notes wastewater pollution flowing across the border has forced closures of south bay beaches for swimming and recreation continuously since 2021 "The presence of pollution is creating unsafe conditions for residents and visitors who live, work, or recreate in the Tijuana River Valley and may come in contact with contaminated water," the resolution says And we're again appealing to the highest level in our land through enforcement of current treaties or agreements The resolution comes after about a week after an estimated 5 million gallons a day of cross-border sewage began flowing into the Tijuana River and the resulting hydrogen sulfide gas began fouling the air in the South Bay County of San Diego health officials advise affected residents to limit their outdoor activities when odors are bothersome Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org Sarah Davidson, Surfrider Foundation, sdavidson@surfrider.orgRamon Chairez, Un Mar de Colores, ramon@mar-de-colores.org American Rivers is announcing the Tijuana River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2025 The Tijuana River has faced decades of neglect and under-investment needed to fix broken wastewater treatment facilities and prevent sewage and industrial pollution from being released into the river This has led to violations of the Clean Water Act widespread illness in the communities in and around the Tijuana River Valley and impacts to tourism and national security.  The Tijuana River travels 120 miles through Northwest Baja California and the Tijuana River Valley in southern California before reaching the Pacific Ocean Its 1,750-square-mile watershed is home to over 2.8 million residents on both sides of the border and the Kumeyaay Nation The river flows out of the Tijuana River estuary southern California’s largest coastal wetland and into the Pacific Ocean where a world-renowned surf break known as “The Sloughs” is located but now sewage-laden waters have closed local beaches hurting the tourism industry and sickening residents of Imperial Beach and south San Diego county “The Tijuana River runs through an extraordinarily beautiful and unique part of the planet that bridges the United States and Mexico,” said Kristan Culbert for American Rivers “It is a tragedy that such a vibrant waterway has been degraded to such a harmful level this river could once again be a major asset instead of a liability.” A recent report from the Department of Defense showed that nearly 1100 cases of health issues were reported among Navy SEALS who trained in and around the Pacific Ocean where they were exposed to high levels of bacteria and pathogens associated with raw sewage and trash released into the Tijuana River As raw sewage discharges into the Pacific Ocean sickening community members who live near the beach Residents who live inland in close proximity to the main river channel are also getting sick from breathing in harmful gasses that are released into the air when contaminated river water is agitated.  expressed concern over recent findings by UCSD and SDSU researchers “The discovery of hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases being released into the air by the Tijuana River This underscores the urgent need for action to protect our communities from these hazardous conditions.” The problem has become so urgent that the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District is working to distribute air purifiers and air filters as temporary reprieve to residents near the river experiencing respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses and nauseating odors caused by pollution in the river.    “The water and air pollution from the Tijuana River is impacting every aspect of community life – it’s in people’s homes Residents should not have to risk their own health and futures by doing their jobs or spending time outside with their children,” said Sarah Davidson of Surfrider Foundation.  “Although this public health crisis increases every day The fact that the Tijuana River has made the America’s Most Endangered Rivers list for the second consecutive year highlights not only the worsening severity of the crisis but also further underscores the powerful opportunity before us to come together and demand action from our leaders to heal our river American Rivers and our partners at Surfrider Foundation and Un Mar de Colores are calling on the Trump administration to declare a state of emergency to address the public health crisis this river and its communities face and to prioritize funding for immediate relief Learn more about America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2025 including other rivers and selection process.   Un Mar de Colores nurtures the next generation of ocean stewards by providing free surf therapy, environmental education, and long-term mentorship for underserved youth. Centering cultural relevance, mental wellness, and equity, Un Mar de Colores works to ensure that those historically excluded from coastal access can build meaningful, lasting relationships with the ocean and one another. Learn more at https://mar-de-colores.org/ a fugitive who escaped from prison custody in Delano has intensified following a deadly shootout in Tijuana BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The search for Cesar Hernandez conducted an operation on April 9 to apprehend Hernandez after receiving reports of his presence in a home there a shootout erupted between Hernandez and law enforcement officials RELATED: Manhunt underway after murder suspect escapes from Delano courthouse Mexican Police Commander Abigail Reyes was shot and killed in the exchange while Hernandez managed to escape from the scene RELATED: Inmate escapee linked to deadly shootout in Tijuana: Reports Hernandez initially escaped from custody on December 2 while being transported to a court appearance He was serving a 25-year-to-life sentence for first-degree murder having been received from Los Angeles County on June 27 SDSU journalism alumna Ana Ceballos turned her passion into a powerhouse reporting career that now has her covering Florida politics Ana Ceballos (‘14) turned to the news to help make sense of the violence in the city transforming her curiosity and awareness into a lifelong passion Today, as a policy and government reporter for the Miami Herald, she credits San Diego State University's Journalism and Media Studies program and The Daily Aztec for giving her the experience she needed to launch her career “I grew up with a lot of awareness of what was going on in the city,” Ceballos said she constantly sought out the news to stay informed trying to absorb as much information as possible she eagerly pursued a journalism degree at SDSU One of her first steps at SDSU was joining The Daily Aztec She believes that decision set her on the path to success She progressed from not knowing how to write a news article to becoming a staff writer then assistant news editor and eventually managing editor of the paper Ceballos interned at a small local newspaper in Monterey where she covered general assignment courts She then pursued her interest in immigration as a freelance border reporter she solidified her beat when she moved to Tallahassee to cover state government for The Associated Press ‘I'll just learn how to cover state government,’ which is a different beast of reporting – and I loved it,” Ceballos said. She has served five years as a reporter at the Miami Herald “It's a lot of just unpredictable scheduling.”  When asked what advice she has for students worried about finding jobs after graduation she emphasized gaining as much experience as possible She credits submitting numerous applications and using her Daily Aztec clips to build her portfolio as key steps in her journey I think journalism is about informing people,” Ceballos said it shouldn't be above us to do local reporting and people need that information “Writing really is a muscle that comes with time and you need to exercise that muscle to be able to produce good stories and ultimately make sure that the message is being conveyed to people who are out in the community.”  SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A way for San Diego County residents to virtually track pollution from the Tijuana River in South County went live Monday providing a real time update on beach water quality and sewage odor The interactive dashboard can be accessed at https://tjdashboard.netlify.app/ and it compiles data from multiple websites with the intention of providing more frequent updates to the frequently changing information Odor complaints and hydrogen sulfide levels for communities near the river valley are provided by the regional Air Pollution Control District It was developed with UC San Diego's Resilient Shield a team "collaborating to integrate advanced computing techniques like forecast modeling to facilitate informed decision making," according to a county statement "This new dashboard reaffirms our commitment to the South Bay communities most impacted by the sewage pollution by providing pertinent information all in one place that they can take action on or be informed about," said Dr "I want to thank our partners with UCSD and APCD for their help in making this happen." the U.S.-Mexico border sewage pollution problem has closed beaches and caused serious health issues for some residents Untreated wastewater from Mexico's Tijuana River crosses the border into the United States and washes out to sea just south of Imperial Beach The bacterial buildup from raw sewage in the wastewater has necessitated the closure of South Bay beaches almost without interruption for three years the data actually reaches up to San Clemente providing a one-spot stop to help plan beach visits even for beaches north of Interstate 8 The dashboard also includes information about what the county knows about the ongoing pollution stemming from Mexico at the state level and federally to improve the situation and even a section on what residents can do to help themselves -- such as reporting sewage or other pollutant spills and health precautions While the county has funded daily beach water quality monitoring in Imperial Beach it has also more recently begun checking overnight hydrogen sulfide levels which can cause odors and potentially health problems Guidance on those odors issued last year recommends that people who live in affected areas and smell the odors limit outdoor activities when they are bothersome increase air circulation with indoor fans and use air purifiers indoors APCD offers free purifiers for those in the three principally effected ZIP codes Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin visited with San Diego leaders and got a first-hand look at the persistent sewage issues plaguing the U.S.-Mexico border saying the issue needs to be resolved with "extreme urgency." Zeldin's trip also included a meeting with Alicia Bárcena secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico and other Mexican officials for what he said was a discussion "about ending decades of raw sewage entering the U.S "It was clear in the way that the Mexican environmental secretary approached every aspect of this meeting yesterday .. that she wants to have a strong collaborative relationship," Zeldin said SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Concerns are skyrocketing in the South Bay around the decades-long Tijuana sewage crisis as more sewage flows closer to home a physician at South Bay Urgent Care in Imperial Beach who sees it in his patients that come to him for help We don't need to know the numbers; you could just smell it,” he explained International Boundary and Water Commission announced that Mexico had informed them it’s already started dumping roughly five million gallons of wastewater into the Tijuana River Five million gallons being released for five days and taking a toll on local communities directly I'm concerned about their health," said Dr a physician at South Bay Urgent Care in Imperial Beach She also sees firsthand whenever the sewage crisis becomes unbearable and directly impacts those residents in the area "Thousands of kids right near this area that are exposed at home and at school on a daily basis Hydrogen sulfide should not be in a community setting," she said an associate professor in the School of Public Health at San Diego State University "Considering the threshold that we're looking at that's set by the standards through California Air Resources Board is 30 parts per billion but now we're talking 400 to 500 parts per billion," Dr "It's definitely not gonna feel good living close to those numbers where wherever you are This move only worsens an already grim situation for the residents in the area they’re callng for more action at all levels to make it safe again for those who live there but it shouldn't be in a community setting And we shouldn't have people exposed to it day in and day out." ABC 10News reached out to San Diego County officials and they said they are monitoring the situation SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - What was meant to be a joyful new chapter in the lives of Raymond Lafave and his girlfriend Brenda has ended in tragedy after an explosion ripped through their Tijuana apartment leaving the couple and Brenda's 5-year-old son in critical condition had moved into the third-floor beach-area apartment with Brenda and her son Brandon just two weeks ago after the couple had met about a year earlier just as Lafave was turning on the stove to cook dinner for the family "He turns on the stove and the whole place just erupts," Plue recounted The blast transformed the apartment into an inferno but Plue said LaFaye was able to get Brenda and Brandon out of the home though all three suffered severe burns covering nearly their entire bodies ”The dryer exploded into the master bedroom and from there he was on fire and ran into the shower," Plue said Plue rushed to a Tijuana hospital after hearing the news 'How is the boy?' and 'Tell Brenda I love her.' I said I would." Plue helped arrange for an ambulance to transport Lafave across the border to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest Brenda remains in critical condition at a Tijuana hospital while Brandon was airlifted to a children's hospital in Sacramento A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help cover the family's mounting medical expenses Tijuana authorities say the cause of the explosion is still under investigation This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Official website of the State of California What you need to know: Working alongside federal Governor Newsom helped secure an additional $250 million in critical funding to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River This funding allows for the full repair and expansion of the South Bay sewage treatment plant SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that President Biden has signed a federal funding bill allocating $250 million to fully repair and expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego secured in partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration will reduce untreated sewage flows into California’s coastal waters and improve public health and environmental conditions in the region The sewage crisis is not only impacting public health and ecosystems and species in coastal communities but has also led to local beach closures for 1,000 consecutive days It has significantly impacted the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people Navy Seal special operation forces who train in those waters a long-standing environmental and public health issue communities in the Tijuana River Valley have borne the brunt of this cross-border pollution crisis Today’s funding marks a long-term turning point — we are delivering the resources needed to protect public health and give residents the clean air and water they deserve Governor Newsom has helped secure critical funding and support to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River while holding authorities accountable to expedited timelines Securing federal funding: In partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration, Governor Newsom has now helped secure $703 million in federal funding — $353 million this year and $350 million last year— for critical upgrades to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant The upgrades will significantly reduce the flow of untreated sewage into California’s coastal waters Governor Newsom meets with Senior Advisor to the President John Podesta and other top White House officials to advocate for funding to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: In October, the County announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents California has allocated $35 million in state funding to address pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and support cleanup efforts: Expedited timelines: Federal authorities committed to expediting construction timelines to more quickly repair infrastructure to mitigate sewage flows Public health and air quality monitoring: California public health officials have been working closely with local authorities to monitor air quality and support public health efforts to protect the community. The state helped get the CDC to deploy resources on the ground and assess public health conditions The state has also supported the local air district on air monitoring and mitigation strategies to protect public health including replacing and installing additional pumps replacing a junction box and temporary influent pipe and rehabilitating all mechanical parts for sedimentation tanks the Governor met with White House officials to push for action to address this crisis Press Releases, Recent News News What you need to know: The Governor honored the contributions of fallen California law enforcement officers at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony California – Honoring the contributions of fallen California peace officers,.. News What you need to know: California applied to the federal government today to update the state's benchmark plan which would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) like hearing aids and wheelchairs in the individual and small group.. News What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024 the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Business & Society The Shingo Institute honors Jabil's Tijuana facility for its deep commitment to the Shingo Guiding Principles and a culture of organizational excellence By Mary Price | April 17 a Shingo Silver Medallion recipient organization Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University has awarded the Shingo Silver Medallion to Jabil’s Baja Plant 2 at the company’s Tijuana site in recognition of its outstanding commitment to organizational excellence executive director of the Shingo Institute stated: "Receipt of the Shingo Silver Medallion signifies an organization's mastery of fundamental principles Those who achieve this high honor are deeply committed to cultural transformation and continuous improvement aligning their systems with Shingo Guiding Principles at every level." Jabil has spent nearly 60 years pushing the boundaries of manufacturing turning bold ideas into reality with cutting-edge technology resilient supply chains and a global team of more than 140,000 employees across more than 25 countries Jabil works closely with companies to design engineer and produce solutions that shape industries Jabil's 844,000-square-foot manufacturing campus is a hub of innovation The site's four plants specialize in a range of production processes and are recognized for their top-tier Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) control and advanced manufacturing techniques By structuring operations around a customer engagement model where each business works with a single point of contact at Jabil the company ensures seamless collaboration and personalized service keeping communication direct and solutions tailored to client needs What truly distinguishes Jabil is its workforce Through initiatives like the Servant Leadership Certification and Talent Pool Program the company encourages professional development Jabil's Behavior Based Quality culture stands out by connecting team members with products and consumers The organization thrives on a foundation of honesty and resourcefulness — creating an environment where employees are empowered "The Shingo Modelhas been fundamental to the development of our systems as its Guiding Principles are based on respect for the individual and leadership with humility," said Lidia Muñoz "This has allowed us to promote our values of integrity and inspiration while also fostering the development of our people and our leaders thus taking our culture to the next level." "We also embrace the servant leadership model which perfectly fits with the Respect for every Individualprinciple of the Shingo culture," said Omar de la Vega "We see this journey as a way of continuously improving our systems and being more effective in taking care of our people "The Shingo Model transformed the way that we see continuous improvement as it made us focus on the behaviors of our people,” said José Torres Jabil’s Baja Plant 2 will be formally recognized at the Awards Gala during the 37th Annual Shingo Conference in Provo This prestigious event highlights the achievements of organizations successfully implementing the Shingo Model and provides attendees with valuable insights into best practices and cultural transformation The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations demonstrating an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. A program at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo Shingo distinguished himself as one of the world's thought leaders in concepts and improvement techniques known as the Toyota Production System Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page USU's SNAC food pantry recently received a donation of 1,000 pounds of ground beef UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY HEALTH & WELLNESS Old Main Hill,Logan, UT 84322(435) 797-1000 Businesses historically dependent on frictionless trade are now pausing investments due to the shifting policies The SMK Electrónica manufacturing plant in Tijuana The cities of Tijuana in Mexico and San Diego in the US make up a tightly knit metropolitan area spanning two countries Manufacturing has long been a lifeline for industries on both sides with products traveling across the border many times as they’re being assembled that smooth back-and-forth has hit some bumps as new tariffs begin to disrupt the flow of goods The Trump administration recently imposed a 25% levy on imported vehicles and automotive components as well as a similar tariff on imports containing aluminum and steel which is significantly impacting cross-border manufacturing operations in Baja California historically dependent on frictionless trade with the US are now pausing investments due to the shifting policies which combines Southern California and the Mexican state of Baja California — nicknamed CaliBaja — has grown to $250 billion 1 US trade partner for the past two years — thanks to flourishing border regions like this one But President Donald Trump is disrupting a way of life, according to Kenia Zamarripa Vice President of San Diego’s Chamber of Commerce and the uncertainty of tariffs is costing us that power of attracting indirect investment or even allowing our small businesses or large employees to expand their investment here,” Zamarripa said Trump signed executive orders on Feb 1 imposing 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada citing concerns over illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking Following discussions with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Trump agreed to a one-month delay in implementing the tariffs contingent upon both countries enhancing border security measures a customs broker in San Diego who helps businesses move goods across the border said that Trump’s inconsistency over the tariffs is creating chaos in the region “People were crossing everything they could out of Mexico into the US putting a big strain on US warehousing on the US side of the border,” Acosta said “because of course everybody wanted to get everything across put it in a warehouse and just have it here.” He says there’s more clarity now about what Trump wants: “It’s a trade war against China not Mexico.” But a large percentage of the raw materials and components used in factories in Tijuana come from China He mentioned headphones as one example of products exported to the United States and the more high-tech parts are being made in China,” he explained “And because the transformation in Mexico is not substantial [enough] to make it a ‘Made in Mexico’ product so the duties that are having to be paid are unimaginable.” has been busy helping clients classify all these parts to find out which ones contain aluminum and steel and which ones come from China and other places with a lot of clients requesting to evaluate if they qualify for any tariff exemption,” Pérez Beher said But many Mexican officials and business people say this situation has created a new window of opportunity for Mexico Mexico has been exempt from several of Trump’s most stringent tariffs due to its unique position under the USMCA trade agreement a factory in Tijuana that assembles components and panels used in computers said his company is absorbing most of the new tariffs But he feels cautiously optimistic about the future as the free trade exemption places Mexico at a comparative advantage attracting businesses seeking alternatives to other higher-tariff markets Serrano said that Mexico could start producing many of the products currently made in China and elsewhere — boosting its economy even more Kenia Zamarripa from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce agrees: “At some point the region will have to look into manufacturing batteries for vehicles And I think that is something that everyone on both sides of the border are looking to find.” about 80% of Mexican exports go to the United States Serrano said this should be a lesson for Mexico to avoid relying so much on the US — and find other markets instead Ernesto Eslava contributed to this report from Tijuana delivered to your inbox every weekday morning Thanks to our sponsor PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402 Father Pat Murphy had a solid budget for his Casa Del Migrante shelter in Tijuana Weeks before President Donald Trump’s inauguration he lined up funding for his migrant shelter through organizations aligned with the U.S “We just signed a contract the last day of December for aid for the entire year,” Murphy said if Casa Del Migrante does not find alternative funding sources the shelter will have to reduce services or shut down we’re going to have to make some decisions.” The Investigations Team at KPBS holds powerful people and institutions accountable But we can’t do it alone — we depend on tips from the public to point us in the right direction For general tips, you can send an email to investigations@kpbs.org you can send anonymous tips or share documents via our secure Signal account at 619-594-8177 To learn more about how we use Signal and other privacy protections, click here Casa Del Migrante did not receive money directly from USAID they worked with other international organizations like UNICEF or Catholic Relief Services who did get USAID funding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) placed more than 10,000 USAID staffers on leave froze ongoing contracts and cut the agency’s budget Several lawsuits have questioned the legality of those cuts. But until the lawsuits are resolved organizations worldwide are struggling to survive without funds that were already promised operators say it leaves the city’s shelter system unprepared for mass deportations It’s forced Murphy to hit the road on a fundraising tour He spent a week talking to potential donors in Kansas And he plans to spend the end of April visiting former classmates in Canada He says he has faith in people’s generosity “Even those who don’t have much know that there are others who have less so they are usually willing and able to help,” Murphy said One place shelter operators know they can’t turn to is the Mexican government former Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador eliminated federal funding for all nonprofits they are more dependent than ever on international aid “The shelters are always at (financial) risk,” Jose Maria Garcia Lara a shelter operator and representative of an alliance of migrant shelters One vulnerable shelter Garcia operates is Movimiento Juventud It had its power shut off last year after it failed to pay its utility bill That left families without electricity to charge their phones hot water for showers or a stove for hot meals “That almost happened again the other week,” Garcia said Shelters throughout Tijuana are relatively empty right now Garcia said members of the shelter alliance are at 25% occupancy Casa Del Migrante has enough capacity for 140 people But he worried about what will happen if and when Trump’s promises of mass deportations materialize That could send thousands of deportees to Tijuana’s underfunded shelters College & Schools and Academic Programs The University of San Diego (USD) announced today that longtime supporters Dan and Phyllis Epstein Read more read more  the University of San Diego proudly joined the 40th Annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair & Parade Read more read more  The University of San Diego officially opened the Palomar Health Student Wellness Center with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Tu… Read more read more  The University of San Diego (USD) mourns the loss of Pope Francis Read more read more  Jonathan “Jonny” Kim ’12 (BA) this morning became the first Korean-American astronaut to journey into space Read more read more  USD News Minute: What you need to know this week at USD were awarded the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship that supports exceptiona… In this episode of "At the Edge of It All," we dive into the world of integrated engineering with Gordon Hoople San Diego men's golf has received an at-large selection to the 2025 NCAA Tournament and is headed to the postseason for the fifth consecutive year The USD College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) hired 14 new faculty members in three distinctive themes – Borders and Social Justice The University of San Diego celebrated the official opening of the Palomar Health Student Wellness Center with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremon… The University of San Diego (USD) and JMI Sports are proud to announce a new multimedia rights partnership 7 San Diego Men's Tennis hoisted it's eighth WCC Tournament Title in the last nine seasons USD News Minute: What you need to know this week at USD… The University of San Diego officially opened the Palomar Health Student Wellness Center with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Tuesday In this episode of "The Athletics Edge," a special series of "At the Edge of It All," we talk with Kimya Massey The USD College of Arts and Sciences (the college) hired 14 new faculty members in three distinctive themes – Borders and Social Justice Seventh-ranked San Diego Men's Tennis locked up the outright WCC Regular Season Championship title with a 4-2 win on the road over their rivals If you see Sumayya Sirajudeen walking across the University of San Diego (USD) campus it’s likely you’ll catch her talking and engaging w… It starts with an idea — one that is fostered through mentorship This philosophy is at the heart of the… 2025) - The San Diego County Bar Association has selected University of San Diego (USD) School of Law Professors David Brennan &l… In this episode of "At the Edge of It All," we sit down with Jena Hales associate professor and program director of Neuroscience University of San Diego Athletics has officially launched SanDiegoNIL.com a comprehensive digital hub dedicated to Name For alumni Elise Vaughan Winfrey ’08 and Nick Winfrey ’08 a liberal arts education helped them build a firm foundation for their careers.… An array of undergraduates spanning programs and schools gathered on the steps of the Learning Commons Town Square on April 8 and 10 The University of San Diego’s Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science has been recognized among the nation’s best in the newly released … The scent of the California air was Tatum Tande’s first clue that she was in the right place During her initial campus visit to the University … In this episode of "The Athletics Edge," a special series of "At the Edge of It All," we talk with Kimya Massey These are common words we hear in the push for more sustainable energy solutions in our communities What you need to know: The Tijuana River sewage crisis has been impacting communities for far too long and Governor Newsom has pushed federal and international partners to fund repairs and complete infrastructure improvements to finally address this crisis TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY – Governor Gavin Newsom visited wastewater treatment facilities on both sides of the border to assess rehabilitation efforts and the ongoing sewage crisis With upgrades to facilities on both sides of the border sewage flows are expected to be reduced by up to 90% “Pollution in the Tijuana River Valley is the number one environmental health crisis impacting our region and Governor Newsom coming to San Diego for today’s briefing shows his steadfast commitment to our communities,” said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas “I have said time and again that the only way we will solve this crisis is by working together  We’re working to put forward our best collective efforts to restore and protect our region.” State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: Earlier this month, the County announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents Public health and air quality monitoring: California public health officials have been working closely with local authorities to monitor air quality and support public health efforts to protect the community. The state helped get the CDC to deploy resources on the ground and assess public health conditions News, Press Releases, Recent News Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) secured a commitment from Jessica Kramer nominee for Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help address the ongoing Tijuana River transboundary pollution crisis and its harmful environmental and public health impacts During a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee nominations hearing Padilla highlighted the hundreds of millions in federal funding he secured along with the late Senator Dianne Feinstein and the San Diego Congressional delegation to expand and upgrade the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) to address harmful sewage flows Kramer echoed Senator Padilla’s characterization of these transboundary pollution flows as a “crisis” and emphasized the importance of federal infrastructure investments to combat the crisis Padilla and Kramer agreed that collaboration and communication with both Mexico and federal partners like the U.S Army Corps of Engineers and the State Department is essential to address these harmful cross-border flows Senator Padilla also questioned Brian Nesvik nominee to be Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service at the Department of the Interior highlighting the complexities of California’s water system and threats to the state’s water security and quality in the face of climate change He urged Nesvik to roll up his sleeves on California water challenges and encouraged him to listen to career professionals at the Fish and Wildlife Service and experts within California’s state agencies to navigate complex water and wildlife issues Video of Padilla’s full line of questioning is available here Senator Padilla has prioritized addressing the Tijuana River pollution crisis since he first came to the Senate, recently working with the San Diego Congressional delegation to secure $250 million in the federal disaster relief package to clean up the Tijuana River This marked the final tranche of funding required to complete the SBIWTP upgrade project The SBIWTP project broke ground in October 2024 reducing transboundary flows by 90 percent Mexico’s rehabilitated San Antonio de los Buenos wastewater treatment plant is expected to be fully operational by Spring 2025 further reducing flows to California communities.  More information on the hearing is available here an old event hall called Flamingos Eventos has been turned into a temporary shelter The multi-story building climbs a hill next to the road it hosted things like quinceañeras and wedding receptions it is one of a new network of facilities created on the southern side of the U.S-Mexico border It's part of a national program to welcome deportees back to Mexico called "Mexico te abraza" or “Mexico Embraces You.” Mexican president Claudia Scheinbaum Pardo announced the program one day after the inauguration of U.S It’s how Mexico is preparing for the repatriation of its citizens if Trump is able to follow through with his promise of mass deportations state and municipal authorities allowed media access to the Tijuana shelter Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda said this facility is exclusively for deportees repatriated because of Trump's promised mass deportations She said the shelter will not just feed and house the deportees but also provide medical and psychological care to help them manage the stress of their deportation “There are medical offices and they will also have psychological and emotional care for any level of stress or anxiety with which they may come to this care center and reminding them of this is very important,” said Governor Pilar in Spanish Media was allowed access to one section of the shelter showing the dining hall “We know that there is a lot of expectation of when and how many people are coming,” said Mónica Juliana Vega Aguirre Baja California’s Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development young people — so they can come back to their country We want to give them a warm welcome,” Vega said located in Tijuana’s Cañon del Alacran is a community set up by migrants who started new lives in Tijuana after leaving their home country Photo by Gabriel O’Hara Salini (COM’25) The group explored the human impact of these hard-line policies while gaining real-world experience in immigration law and journalism Dooling, a College of Communication associate professor of the practice, Sherman-Stokes, a BU School of Law clinical associate professor, and the six students—two journalism and four law students—worked with, and reported on, Al Otro Lado a binational nonprofit group that provides legal support to refugees and migrants in the United States and Tijuana Given the swiftness of Trump’s immigration directives Al Otro Lado’s services are in high demand right now The border “is often a place where people are being treated in inhumane and undignified ways, and where people’s rights are being denied, regardless of who is president,” says Sherman-Stokes, who is also associate director of LAW’s Immigrants’ Rights & Human Trafficking Clinic The things that we saw and the stories that we heard I think will stay with all of us for a very long time.”  When Dooling got wind of Sherman-Stokes’ planned trip with the law students Both had extensive experience in the area: before joining BU in 2022 Dooling reported on immigration for WBUR and traveled to locations like El Salvador and Honduras to learn about how US policies were impacting lives there Sherman-Stokes has twice brought law students to assist Al Otro Lado with legal services.  The trip was in the works before the US presidential election But regardless of whether the winner was Harris or Trump she and her team anticipated that injustice would persist at the border and therefore Dooling thought her COM students could benefit from the opportunity to report on conditions that would push them out of their comfort zone “Knowing how impactful that experience can be as a reporter,” she says “I really wanted to share that with students.” What’s more “given how much has changed in the landscape of asylum law and immigration policy since the inauguration of President Trump,” she says she felt it would be a valuable chance for the students to report from the field.   the BU group and Al Otro Lado members spoke to several migrants who were staying in homeless shelters in Tijuana because their asylum appointments had been canceled after Trump took office and signed an executive order suspending asylum.  The law students worked on tasks that included traveling to different shelters and finding potential plaintiffs for litigation challenging the border closure Kate Blankinship (LAW’25) says there was no typical day because the situation is constantly changing.  The journalism students reported on what they saw and their interactions with migrants and they are currently working on their stories with plans to pitch them to local publications in the coming weeks and various other countries who had traveled very long distances to get to Tijuana in the hopes of being able to apply for asylum only to find out once they got here that the rules had changed,” Dooling says.   Field reporting experiences like these help reify policies often only read about in headlines She emphasizes the emotional weight of the trip and the impact of witnessing countless people who had had hopes of a path across the border but were ultimately left stranded.  “I think being able to take your time and to sit with folks and to hear their story in their own words and to be able to see the impact of policy changes from the White House and how they’re playing out by those people who are affected firsthand,” Dooling says “is an experience that you really can only get when you’re reporting in the field.”   Sherman-Stokes says that working with Dooling and the journalism students was beneficial to everyone involved as lawyers can sometimes miss creative perspectives when engaging only with other lawyers and bringing in journalism students offered fresh angles Karla Alvarado (LAW’25) says the trip pushed her out of her comfort zone and was a chance to serve a community that is meaningful to her.  “There was something very jarring about seeing a wall that extends out into the ocean and we’ve decided on one side you are able to apply for asylum and you’re able to seek refuge and find safety “I think that’s a reality that I was aware of in theory She says too that seeing the migrants’ palpable fear of returning to their homeland was difficult “So many of them were so kind and so brave,” she says “The amount of hope and bravery that they showed in sharing their story was really inspiring.” says he has personal ties to the effects of displacement he was able to speak directly with the migrants and he says hearing their stories firsthand was eye-opening and powerful as well.  “It was a contrast between deep distress and pain “Many still believed that someday the border would reopen and they would finally have the chance to come to America the right way Dooling says she was proud of how her students handled difficult “We wanted to be able to share their stories while also being respectful and responsible about how we do that,” she says “The students were able to maintain that balance with a lot of professionalism.”  “All the people we saw are whole people with dreams and goals and hopes and wishes for the future and I think there’s so much in the media where we paint these people as very one-dimensional,” Alvarado says “They are a lot more than what you see on the nightly news and what you’re hearing from the White House and all these other people in power BU Journalism and Law Students Confront Immigration Realities in Tijuana Pioneering Research from Boston University María gained practical skills to support herself and her family while learning about her rights and reclaiming her dignity but here something else also ends or begins—sometimes dreams sometimes realities—and this is especially true for migrants bordering the United States; I live in a border region marked not only by a wall but also by expressions of solidarity migrants from every imaginable part of the world arrive for a variety of reasons My work as a migration program officer at AFSC has taught me that although it is difficult to hold on to the hope that things can be better for the people we serve sometimes a simple gesture—like serving a cup of coffee—can change the course of a life I want to share a story with you. In 2024, we launched a program in Tijuana called “Cutting the Patriarchy” that aimed to teach haircutting techniques to migrant women while also sparking conversations about their rights and gender-based violence María—a 60-year-old who had been living in the shelter for five months—approached me and said I’m too old and can’t learn anything anymore but they told me that in this workshop they would serve coffee Can I come just for the coffee and drink it while I watch the workshop?” I she shared that she had been waiting five months to enter the U.S She had scheduled an appointment to enter the U.S using the CBP One app* and had to reapply because her record had been “erased” without explanation.  from a community co-opted by organized crime and for half of that time she suffered domestic violence she had to flee and travel 3,000 kilometers by bus—facing extortion and other abuses—until she reached Tijuana the farthest anyone had ever told her she could go she faced other barriers: fear of becoming a victim of violence Her case is one of thousands of internally displaced women who have been forced to migrate by a system that has excluded them failed to protect them from the many forms of violence they face and neglected to provide them with opportunities to build better lives One day she asked me if it was truly possible to live a life free from violence as we had discussed in one of our gatherings which we called the “circles of words.” She became interested in learning about her rights and the rights of her family She especially wanted to understand what that “strange word”—patriarchy—meant if I believed that she could learn to cut hair That day she fully participated in the workshop and started attending every class AFSC played a small part in convincing her of her value and abilities as someone who accompanied her through the process learn new skills she could take with her wherever she went Although the obstacles María has faced differ from mine as a woman I relate to her frustration and fears because my life is also full of challenges—living in a country where machismo remains prevalent and where I have to work even harder to be recognized as a professional people like María inspire me and give meaning to my work María kept saying that she was only there for the coffee the CBP One app allowed migrants to schedule appointments to seek asylum at ports of entry It was shut down by the Trump administration soon after taking office.   Interested in migration policy; linked to activism This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page What you need to know: California is launching a pilot project to stop trash from clogging the Tijuana River as part of $35 million in investments to address the ongoing sewage crisis federal and international representatives today gathered near the southern border to celebrate a state-funded pilot project to help clean up the Tijuana River This is part of $35 million in funding the Newsom Administration has directed to address the ongoing sewage crisis on the Tijuana River The State Water Resources Control Board financed the $4.7 million project which features floating trash booms made partially from recycled material The project is overseen by the nonprofit Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) washing machines and other debris that flow from Mexico into the Tijuana River clogging the channel and contributing to chronic water quality problems California is working with our local and federal partners to address the ongoing Tijuana River crisis This project to stop trash from clogging the river is part of an all-of-the-above approach we’re taking to help protect Tijuana River valley communities which will run for the next two consecutive storm seasons began with the deployment of the plastic-and-steel encased booms on Nov Today’s ribbon-cutting event initiates the next phase: the capture and removal of objects that block the untreated wastewater from entering the treatment plant Although Mexico is primarily responsible for preventing trash-laden wastewater from flowing into the Tijuana River Valley federal and state agencies assist with equipment maintenance and resources to contain the discharges through a series of canyon collectors designed to intercept objects that block untreated sewage from reaching the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: Earlier this month, the county announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents One day after noxious odors from massive wastewater dumping prompted county health guidance for residents near the Tijuana River County Supervisor Jim Desmond Tuesday called on the federal government to impose penalties against Mexico if it continues such dumping urging the federal government to restrict the flow of potable water to Tijuana and consider limiting cross- border travel between Mexico and the United States in the region "It's clear that Mexico will not act unless real pressure is applied," he said "This is a national security issue and a public health crisis And our elite military forces are being put at risk It's unacceptable — and it's time to hold Mexico accountable." The APCD offers free purifiers for those in the three principally effected ZIP codes remain available — 91932, 92154 and 92173 — representing Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, Nestor and other South Bay neighborhoods. Apply for purifiers at https://www.sdapcd.org/content/sdapcd/about/tj-river-valley/aire.html "The county of San Diego urges federal officials to continue working with their counterparts in Mexico on stopping the flow of raw sewage and bringing an ultimate resolution to this longtime source of water and air pollution," a statement from the county reads (KGTV) – The Mayor of Imperial Beach was not pleased with the response she got from the EPA I received this later from acting [EPA] regional administrator Cheree Peterson,” Mayor Paloma Aguirre said Her letter to new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had requested a reconsideration of a Superfund designation for the Tijuana River Valley amid the sewage crisis “While EPA has been involved in some of these proposed actions and plans to continue this engagement the report doesn’t contain new information that would warrant changing EPA’s Superfund-related decision as stated in our Jan 3 letter,” Aguirre read from the letter she received from the EPA “They were pointing back to their rejection last time we submitted the request.. That they didn’t find there was any new information that they could base a second look on,” she said.The EPA's letter denied Aguirre's request to Zeldin in which she asked him to reconsider designating the Tijuana River Valley as a superfund site “This is a public health ticking time bomb We cannot afford to continue to have empty promises or statements that say ‘We understand and we’re with you,’ but no real action,” Aguirre said The EPA’s Superfund program is tasked with cleaning up some of America’s most contaminated lands and responding to environmental emergencies This isn’t the first time local politicians have asked the EPA to step in ABC 10News was there last year when County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remer stood side by side with Aguirre and other leaders in the South Bay asking the site to receive a superfund designation leading to the later letter and request for reconsideration I’m tired of the empty promises,” Aguirre said as she ripped the letter in half during the interview Below you'll find the EPA's rejection letter that Aguirre tore up in our interview: Earlier, Zeldin did acknowledge the need to get involved. On March 8, he wrote on X, “I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and it’s now seeping into the U.S. This is unacceptable.” “We need to make sure we are protecting the health of South County residents. And that, right now, I don’t feel like I can trust neither the county nor the EPA to do that,” Aguirre said. An EPA spokesperson sent ABC 10News the following statement on Tuesday after we asked if there was any more context on the reconsideration request in Aguirre’s letter: “EPA found that the Tijuana River Valley was not eligible under the law. EPA continues to collaborate with all other involved agencies on both sides of the border to actively monitor of the situation. We are gravely concerned by the situation and appreciate the Mayor contacting us.” I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and it’s now seeping into the U.S.This is unacceptable. Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage! Embed on your websiteClose×Copy the code below to embed the WBUR audio player on your site<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/news/2025/03/27/mexico-massachusetts-asylum-migrants-trump-legal-aid"></iframe> EmailMigrant families stay inside tents at a shelter in Tijuana women and children live in one of the city's largest homeless shelters a sprawling patchwork of repurposed buildings and makeshift encampments with only about a dozen toilets and 10 showers across the entire facility a supervising attorney with the nonprofit Al Otro Lado called out to a crowd of migrants to announce that day’s free legal clinic was now open Traducido en español por El Planeta, Boston's Latino daily. Dozens took a seat in metal folding chairs People who came from other parts of Mexico as well as countries like Ecuador and Haiti met with volunteers about their options now that the U.S border is essentially closed to asylum seekers Kruger Castro said before President Trump returned to office volunteers at orientations like this might explain how people could apply for asylum a legal protection designed to allow people fleeing specific types of persecution and violence to seek safety in the U.S Asylum law states anyone can show up at an American port of entry and request an interview The Biden administration used a lottery system that assigned appointments to asylum seekers at the border via a smartphone app An immigrant from Venezuela tries in vain to access the CBP One app a day after the second inauguration of President Trump on Jan. 21 in Nogales, Mexico. (John Moore/Getty Images)Trump and other critics said the lottery system attracted people who might not be eligible for asylum advocates on the ground say many people have left border cities with official ports of entry like Tijuana in search of other options But for the thousands who remain and their families — some here in Massachusetts – hope of a legal pathway has dissolved into scenes of uncertainty Kruger Castro and her fellow volunteers can’t tell migrants when — or if — the asylum process will reopen at the border they focus on informing them of the risks of trying to cross the border in other ways “We can empower people with information and they can take their … choice for whatever their next steps are,” she said “Probably they’re a little bit more cautious in the sense that they know how strict things are Border Patrol agents and members of the military look toward Tijuana as they stand between two border walls during a news conference on joint operations involving the military and the Border Patrol on March 21 in San Diego (Gregory Bull/AP)A member of the military looks on in front of newly-installed concertina wire lining one of two border walls separating Mexico from the United States on March 21 (Gregory Bull/AP)Kruger Castro said effectively eliminating a path to asylum at the border could drive desperate migrants afraid for their lives to try to cross the border illegally the cartels are the ones that are controlling who gets to cross,” adding the infamous drug gangs also determine the route and how risky the journey ends up being The risks and distances already endured by migrants to make it to Tijuana are obvious in the stacks of belongings on top of the rows and rows of bunk beds Backpacks and roller bags are stored next to pots and pans and children's toys An overwhelming sense of uncertainty hangs in the air Belongings are stored on top of rows of bunk beds at one of Tijuana's largest homeless shelters (Zenobia Pellissier Lloyd for WBUR)A few miles away at a different Tijuana shelter for women and children said she waited nine months for her appointment to start the asylum process she said she remembers the day she found out it was canceled: Jan “We were all watching the news on TV that day When he announced the border would close down absolutely everyone here who already had an appointment got into the app and saw that it now said canceled,” Soledad said because she said she has feared for her life since cartels in central Mexico killed her brother and took over her family home The metal gate entrance to the shelter is supposed to stay locked at all times to protect the residents Nearly 20 camping tents are pitched inside and there’s an old couch in front of a TV where a few children watch movies MMC once had an appointment to begin the asylum process WBUR agreed to use just her initials because she too said she fled violence and threats from cartels The 47-year-old from Colombia showed up for her appointment at the port of entry in Tijuana on inauguration day “I'm waiting to see if there's some new program to let us through,” she said in Spanish MMC seeks legal advice after her appointment to begin the asylum process was canceled on Inauguration Day (Zenobia Pellissier Lloyd for WBUR)Attorney Sarah Sherman-Stokes said she’s heard that message repeatedly while interviewing migrants in Tijuana shelters Sitting at a small table in Al Otro Lado’s office children’s artwork hanging from the ceiling a clinical associate professor and associate director of the immigrants’ rights and human trafficking clinic at Boston University’s School of Law said what she hears from most people is a combination of wanting to play by the rules but feeling as though their life depends on making it safely to the U.S who accompanied a group of law school students volunteering at the border said many people are still coming to terms with the cancellations of their asylum appointments But she expects there will be a tipping point what we've seen is that as border crossings become more difficult — as there is greater surveillance and enforcement along the southern border —we see coyotes [or smugglers] and migrants taking much more dangerous routes to cross because the level of desperation and fear doesn't go down just because border enforcement increases,” she said That same desperation is being felt by families throughout Massachusetts Gladys Vega runs Chelsea’s La Colaborativa a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the immigrant community “You have people in the border waiting for appointment I have families on this side waiting for those loved ones to get their appointment so they can be reunited.” For the foreseeable future, families on both sides of the border are left waiting. Editor’s Note: Boston University holds the broadcast license for WBUR. Shannon Dooling is an associate professor of the practice, investigative reporting, at the BU College of Communication. Both WBUR and Dooling’s journalism are independent, and BU had no editorial role in this story. Gabriel O’Hara Salini and Zenobia Pellissier Lloyd contributed reporting to this story. Shannon Dooling Investigative ReporterShannon Dooling was an investigative reporter at WBUR focused on stories about immigration and criminal justice