Tijuana’s network of migrant shelters is operating at approximately 25 percent capacity – a dramatic shift from the near-overflowing conditions that defined the border city’s shelter system in recent years. The decline comes as the composition of shelter residents has fundamentally changed: most current occupants are not northbound asylum seekers but people repatriated from the United States after living there for five to 30 years.
The city’s shelter infrastructure includes both long-established facilities and temporary overflow spaces:
- Casa del Migrante – Run by Father Pat Murphy, this shelter has capacity for 140 people but currently houses roughly 40 residents. It has operated in Tijuana for decades and remains one of the most recognized migrant facilities on the border.
- Comunidad de Luz – A collaborative project between the Diocese of San Diego, Via International, the Vida Joven Foundation, the Pacifica Synod, and the Anglican Diocese. The facility can accommodate 150 women and children.
- Centro Madre Asunta – Operated by the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles (Scalabrinian Sisters), focused on women and families.
- Alianza Migrante – Directed by José María García Lara, serves as a general population shelter.
- Temporary city facility – A converted events center with capacity for up to 2,600 people, established during previous surges.
The Border Angels organization coordinates across 16 shelters in the Tijuana area, assisting over 900 migrants daily with meals, legal aid, and medical referrals.
Despite reduced populations, shelters face a paradoxical financial squeeze. U.S. donor funding – which sustained many facilities during the asylum seeker surge – is being cut again for 2026. Fixed costs including rent, utilities, and staff salaries remain constant regardless of how many beds are occupied, leaving operators scrambling to cover basic expenses.
Since January 2026, shelter operators have reported a gradual increase in residents, driven primarily by repatriated individuals arriving with no family connections or resources in Tijuana. Unlike previous waves of Central American and Haitian asylum seekers, these residents are predominantly Mexican nationals who had established lives in the United States and now face an uncertain restart.