Tijuana officials are finding it difficult to process an influx of Russian refugees flying into Mexico attempting to seek asylum in the United States, a reported revealed Thursday.
The Russian refugees, who have fled in the weeks since their country invaded Ukraine in late February, are also allegedly setting up tent encampments near the California border, according to Border Report.
The vast majority of the asylum-seekers are set up south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which connects Tijuana to San Diego. Unlike Ukrainian refugees, the outlet asserted, the Biden administration has been denying fleeing Russians entry into the country.
Last week, the same outlet reported that the Tijuana city government ordered migrants living near the port to clear out and head to shelters.
A Russian migrant told Border Report that he and his wife were denied entry into the U.S., stressing that he is merely seeking freedom and the conflict was initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, not the Russian people.
''Officer says Ukraine yes, Russians no,'' the migrant said. ''It's Putin's conflict, not me. Russian people are good people.''
Letters issued to the migrants in both Russian and Spanish warned that they should not attempt to seek asylum by entering through the ports of entry, saying it would hurt their asylum claims.
''We recommend you don't try and force your way into the United States and risk your physical being while being penalized later during the asylum process,'' wrote Enrique Lucero, director of Tijuana's Migrant Affairs office.