A New Surge of Ukrainians at U.S. Border

More than 2,000 Ukrainians have made their way to the U.S. border from Mexico over the past 10 days, joining desperate migrants from around the world in what officials expect could become a major border surge as pandemic restrictions are lifted and the continuing fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reaches America’s shores.

The sudden arrivals in Tijuana present an immediate challenge to U.S. border officials, who are already bracing for a flood of unauthorized migration from countries such as Honduras and Haiti when the United States eases its emergency Covid-19 border rules next month. Now, the United States must also find a way to accommodate thousands of people fleeing a murderous Russian invasion halfway around the world.

“I’m troubled. I’m tired. We have been here more than two days,” said Nataly Yankova, 48, who fled Ukraine with two adolescent daughters, one in a wheelchair, and two nephews and planned to join her brother who is living in Chicago.