In the past couple of weeks, tensions in Tijuana have mounted due to the recent influx of Central American migrants who are seeking asylum in the United States.
President Donald Trump deployed troops to the border to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Local residents in Tijuana have rallied against the migrants. And Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum has spoken out against them. At the same time, the migrants themselves have grown desperate as the process of requesting asylum has become more difficult in recent weeks.
All that tension reached a fever pitch on Sunday, when officials closed down the San Ysidro Port of Entry after hundreds of migrants rushed toward the border.
In this week’s podcast, host Scott Lewis sits down with Voice of San Diego reporter Maya Srikrishnan to discuss what exactly led up to that moment. Also on the podcast, Lewis and Andrew Keatts go over the fiery trash talk that’s been happening at City Hall. Plus, Lisa Halverstadt answers Balboa Park questions submitted by our readers in a new People’s Reporter segment.
One last thing: Don’t forget to check out our bonus episode. Lewis sat down with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and County Supervisor-elect Nathan Fletcher, two of San Diego’s most influential politicians, and talked about a wide range of issues.
Hero of the Week
This week’s hero is Superior Court Judge Ronald Frazier, who’s poised to suspend an Encinitas law giving locals final say over major land-use changes.
Goat of the Week
The Carlton Gallery in La Jolla gets the goat. San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott filed charges against the gallery for allegedly trafficking in ivory, which is illegal under state law.
Voice now has a podcast texting club for listeners. To join, text the word “podcast” to 619-202-9051. We’ll send you links to new episodes weekly and solicit questions and ideas for future podcasts.
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