African migrants in Tijuana allege police brutality, theft and racism

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report ) — Migrants from Africa and their advocates in Tijuana have alleged non-stop incidents of police brutality, racism and theft.

“The level of violence and police brutality is something that never ends, we need to have programs to end this type of aggression against migrants,” said Psyche Calderón Vargas, medical coordinator for the Refugee Health Alliance in Baja California.

She says African migrants are constantly stopped by police officers who then steal their backpacks and other belongings, adding that officers also destroy the migrants’ legal and immigration documents while taking what little money they have.

“If you want to take the money that’s one thing, but why do they feel like they have to destroy everything, it’s just prejudicial corruption … if they can’t come up with a certain amount of money they’re beaten and tossed in jail for three days.”

Calderón Vargas stated that officers and members of Mexico’s National Guard are constantly driving by shelters looking for migrants, and that often, those who have been victims before, flee out of fear.

“Right now the Municipal Police has taken a liking to us,” she said. “Every day they come around, sometimes three times a day, migrants literally scurry and leave their plates on the table, it generates so much fear in everyone.”

Calderón Vargas said recently, one of the migrants had to be hospitalized for a severe blow to the head sustained when two police officers beat him repeatedly.

“He already had a speech problem, but it got worse over the course of three days due to a bruised brain,” she said. “Now he requires special care from a neurologist, he doesn’t have the money for that and neither does the shelter.”

Calderón Vargas, migrants of color, primarily from Africa, are victimized by police more than others.

Border Report reached out to Municipal Police about these allegations, but the officer who answered the phone call said it was “an internal affairs matter,” and that someone from that department would get back to us.

So far, no one has called back.

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