Consulado General de México en San Diego

#04/2024 For Immediate Release Tuesday, February 13, 2024

FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN SAN DIEGO REPORTS THE NUMBER OF MEXICAN NATIONALS DEAD OR INJURED IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE BORDER

• There is a decrease in the number of Mexican nationals who died while attempting to cross between ports of entry.

• Drowning, dehydration, and falling from the wall are among the leading causes of recent fatalities.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego reports the number of Mexicans who were injured or unfortunately died in their attempt to cross into the United States between the region’s ports of entry.

During the 2023 calendar year, the Consulate recorded 29 fatalities and 120 injuries of Mexican nationals, contrasting with the 42 nationals who died in 2022 and the 124 who were injured (figures from the last four years are attached). The complete figures, prepared by the Mexican Consulate based on consular interviews conducted between fiscal years 2020 and 2023, can be accessed on its website: https://bit.ly/3waeC8V

Among the factors that explain the decrease in the number of deaths in 2023 are the following: a relatively lower number of Mexicans who tried to enter through the Tijuana – San Diego border compared to other nationalities; the use of new technologies that facilitate rescues by authorities on both sides of the border; as well as the tendency to seek refuge through an asylum application, whether presented in person at a designated port of entry or through the CBP One digital application.

Consul General Carlos González Gutiérrez explained that the relative decrease in the number of Mexicans injured or deceased must be carefully contextualized. “These numbers exclude the injured, deceased of other nationalities. They also do not account for missing persons, regardless of whether they have been reported or not. Likewise, migrants continue to experiment with new and riskier ways to cross the border, which has resulted in more drownings due to mass sea crossings and a slight decrease in the average age of the injured.”

He emphasized that consular officers collaborate with authorities on both sides of the border during the search, rescue, hospitalization, and repatriation of migrants. In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), interviews conducted by our Protection Department have been crucial in assisting Mexican nationals as the highest priority of the Mexican government.

The Consular representation acknowledges the agencies working on both sides of the border to preserve the lives, dignity, and integrity of those who have suffered accidents in their attempt to improve their quality of life, including hospitals, forensic medical services, and land, sea, and air rescue groups.

The Mexican Consulate is part of the Border Wall Fall Injury Prevention task force, where accident prevention coordinators from the leading hospitals in San Diego, as well as social workers, academics, and non-governmental organizations, monitor and analyze incidents and prevention opportunities while strengthening the network of resources to assist the injured.

Those who wish to obtain information about injured or missing persons and/or those who require consular assistance and protection can contact the Center for Information and Attention to Mexicans (CIAM) in the U.S.A: +1 (520) 623-7874, through the Consulate's emergency line: +1 (619) 843-6399, or by email proteccion@consulmexsd.org

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