U.S. / Mexico Border Wait Times
About the Author
Ben works in Tijuana, Mexico for an international non-profit. He is also in the process of starting up a non-profit. The goal is to work alongside a private, Christian elementary school and a seminary.
Many thousands of Mexicans, living in Tijuana, bear a horrendous borderline each and every morning. This is old news to San Diegans, but I’m positive that the majority of U.S. citizens have no concept of what occurs at the border.
A friend recently commented that the border wait is “inhumane.” Can you disagree? I don’t think a single people group in the States can justify another human waiting in line for 1 to 3 hours per day, just to start work.
Capitalists: What a waste of time!
Liberals: No borders.
Anti-big government: Salaries, retirement, and benefits of border patrol and immigration officers. Not to mention the training, infrastructure, and management.
Environmentalists: It is amazing that hardcore environmentalists squabble their time banning plastic sandwich bags and AA batteries! Interested in discussing pollution? How about thousands of cars all bunched up together billowing out smog and dripping engine oil and antifreeze that conveniently wash into the Pacific Ocean.
Jose Luis and his wife, Belen, were enrolled and excelling in our seminary. They’re now way behind and probably going to drop out. Jose Luis had a relatively successful construction equipment rental company. Belen ran the office.
A little over a month ago there was a shoot-out between two rival drug gangs. Eighteen were killed. The massacre took place while Belen was supervising a pajama party for the kids at her church. The shots were so loud, she thought the shooters were on church property. Belen, a 4-month pregnant, street-tough lady, went into shock thinking the kids were at risk. She lost her baby.
She’s still recovering emotionally. And to get to the point quick, Jose Luis “lost” his administrative assistant. Unable to pay someone else, it seemed best to him to bail on the whole enterprise. He now rolls out of bed at 2AM, waits in the borderline, and works in San Diego. Makes a bit more, but has lost all free time. He gets home at 5PM, eats dinner, plays with his kids for a bit, and then it’s off to bed.
I’ll add another group to the list above: Christians. We as believers of the Word, should treat others as we would like to be treated (i.e. “love your neighbor as yourself”). And I highly doubt, the average Joe Smith would put up with what for the average Juan Gonzalez, is the regular commute to the office.
July 8th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I have not even thought about this problem. It is hard to believe that people have to wait that long at the border every morning. Does he drive across the border? I have waited two and a half hours to return to the US on a Saturday night. It is insane. I can’t imagine having to do it every day to go to work.
What would you do to speed up the process? You would think they would get a special lane or two, kind of like a carpool lane only a US laborer lane and have a special sticker or scanner or something to allow quicker passage. The problem would be the element of control of illegal things or persons trying to take advantage of these special permits.
This is a difficult problem.
July 8th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I have been sitting in the “line” for the last seven years. Yes, it sucks. But its a border town of two nations. In fact, the busiest border crossing or “port of entry” in the world. No different than any other border of two nations linked. Just alot larger scale. I sit in the regular line. I don’t have a SENTRI permit. I chose to live in Tijuana. For those who choose to do so, or choose to come across and shop or whatever, deal with it. For those who are Mexican nationals, there are choices to make and scarifices to make.
July 12th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
wow…I surely thought someone would comment on the comment I made about yourtopic. hmmm.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Get a motor scooter or cycle then you can go between the lines as they do in California.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:28 am
I have crossed from the Texas side at McAllen into Mexico three times. The shortest wait was two and a half hours the longest four. So the problem is not just on the US side. I am personally finding world travel to become more and more of a hassle each time I have to cross a border. And it is not just because of 9-11, this has even been the case in small African nations where just ten years ago I would pass through with ease. This time on returning to the States I felt like I was walking into Nazi Germany; O the questions I was asked… where was the old “Welcome home!” which they use to greet me with. I really use to look forward to that.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
I just moved to Tijuana, because the cost of living in San Diego is too high. I cannot afford to pay he high prices in San Diego. My cost for not paying the financial part is time. It took me 2 hours to cross the border today. I started at 5:30 am and crossed at 7:45 am. Just like me there are thousand of people who are moving to Tijuana, because they cannot afford living in San Diego. It is not because we don’t want to it is a matter of survival. I also don’t get home until past 6:00 pm. I don’t know how long I would be willing to do this. I either need to get a beter job or move back to the U.S. and be poor.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I’m a young college student, barely becoming independent. I moved from my parents’ house about a year ago and tried renting by myself at first then with roommates. What I discovered was an insanely expensive housing market that a minimum wage worker such as myself can simply not afford. I moved to Tijuana about 6 months ago because it seemed like the most economical thing to do in times like these. It turns out that I was right; the expenses in Tijuana are drastically lower compared to prices in San Diego but like many other people who have taken this route of action I have traded a few more hours of sleep for afordability of the apartment that I am renting. Yes, I do wait 2 - 3 hours to cross the border so I can make it to school and work on time and yes, it can be a major hassle, however, I like to keep in mind that I’m waiting every morning so I can have a better day tomorrow. I don’t know how long I will have to do this but I am certainly patient enough to wait.