Ukrainians Admitted but Russians Blocked at Tijuana-San Ysidro Border

According to media reports, 34 Russians seeking refuge found themselves barricaded from crossing the US border on 18th March.

Ukrainians Admitted but Russians Blocked at Tijuana-San Ysidro Border

According to media reports, more than thirty Russians seeking refuge found themselves barricaded from crossing the American border on 18th March, while some Ukrainians showed passports and were escorted across the US border. The happening reflected a subtle but unmistakable shift in the contrasting dealing of Ukrainians and Russians who arrived in Mexico as visitors and flew to a border Mexican city of Tijuana, just south of California, anticipating to enter the United States for a chance at protection.

As of Friday, thirty-four Russians had been camped some days at the busiest Tijuana-San Ysidro border (Mexico-US border), 2-days after Tijuana City officials lightly urged them to escape. They took a seat on mats and blankets, talking and snacking, checking their cell phones, with sleeping bags and pushchairs close to pedestrian border crossers filed past them. In addition, five young girls settled down and gossiped in a circle.

Some days before, some Russian nationals were being allowed to enter America through the US border crossing with Mexico, while a group of Ukrainians was blocked. But by March 18, Russians were blocked while Ukrainian refugees quickly crossed after a short waiting time.

Russia will Lose if Continues Ukraine War

A forty-year-old Russian woman named Irina Zolinka, who camped overnight with her family members after arriving in the westernmost Mexican city – Tijuana – on March 7, said that it is very tough to realize how they make decisions.

Furthermore, Al Otro Lado’s litigation and policy director, Erika Pinheiro, said America started admitting all Ukrainian refugees on humanitarian parole for nearly twelve months around Tuesday, while simultaneously blocking all Russian people. However, there was no formal declaration linked to this issue.

A memorandum dated March 11 by US Homeland Security Department (DHS) but not made public until 17th March told border authorities that Ukrainians might be excused from shelter limits designed to avoid coronavirus transmission. It says decisions are to be taken case-by-case for refugees from Ukraine but makes no reference to Russian nationals.

The US DHS recognizes that Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine has created a humanitarian crisis, according to the memo. In addition, Russian refugees in Tijuana sat off to the side of a line of hundreds of border residents waiting to move across the border to San Diego–Tijuana yesterday. The line was unhampered. Referring to Russia’s Putin, a 32-year-old Russian migrant identified as Mark said that Russian and Ukrainian refugees are suffering amid one man. He left the country after the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Ukrainians Admitted but Russians Blocked at Tijuana-San Ysidro Border
Ukrainians Admitted but Russians Blocked at Tijuana-San Ysidro Border
Source: Web

Ukrainian President said Russian military is obstructing his country’s biggest cities to wear Ukrainians down into submission. But Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on 19th March that the tactics will fail and Kremlin will lose in the run if it continues its aggression.