Tijuana's migrant shelters are now hosting university students fleeing escalating violence in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. The conflict stems from ongoing battles between factions of the Sinaloa cartel, which have further deteriorated the security situation in the Mexican region.
Albert Rivera, who manages the Agape Shelter in Tijuana, said there is a noticeable rise in young adults seeking refuge. "We are getting more people from Sinaloa, especially university students," he told the Border Report. The turf war escalated in September, claiming hundreds of lives since and confining many residents to their homes. Businesses and restaurants are shuttering under the weight of financial losses.
Rivera explained that many of the students intend to continue their studies online while waiting for conditions to improve. "Most students say they don't plan to cross into the United States. They just want to stay safe while continuing their education," he added. However, some are contemplating requesting asylum if the violence persists.
The threat of forced recruitment by cartels looms large, particularly for young men. Rivera described how boys as young as 14 are being coerced into criminal organizations. "Families are terrified, and that fear is driving them to leave their homes," he said.
While many of the displaced students in Tijuana remain hopeful for change, the road ahead is uncertain. Sinaloa is the birthplace of Mexico's most prominent drug lords and cartels. And ever since "Los Chapitos" and "La Mayiza" started to fight each other for the control of the Sinaloa Cartel, the situation has escalated.
Just before the end of the year, media outlet Noroeste reported that for the first time since 2019, Sinaloa surpassed the 1,000-homicide threshold, with 1,004 homicides recorded by Dec. 27, a 62% increase from the total reported in 2023 (618).
Originally published in Latin Times
