U.S. marines reinforce border with barbed wire

U.S. Marines installed barbed wire along the U.S.-Mexico border fence, with approximately 30 marines working on the U.S. side of the wall adjacent to Tijuana's La Libertad neighborhood. The installation took place on the steel column wall closest to Mexican territory, which is part of a dual-wall system in the region.

Simultaneously, Mexico deployed National Guard members to the San Ysidro border crossing, implementing vehicle checkpoints and monitoring traffic. This deployment is part of Mexico's agreement with President Trump to station 10,000 National Guard troops along the border, with nearly 2,000 assigned to Tijuana alone. In exchange, Trump delayed the implementation of 25% tariffs on Mexican goods for one month.

The National Guard's responsibilities include border patrol, tunnel searches, and preventing drug trafficking, particularly focusing on fentanyl smuggling. However, local residents express skepticism about the effectiveness of these measures. Armando Jauregui, a duty-free shop worker, dismissed it as a political show, while arts vendor Jose Luis Zuniga described the increased security presence as "pretty pointless."

The context is particularly significant in Tijuana, located in Baja California, Mexico's second most violent state in 2024 with 2,368 murders. Trump has declared a "national emergency" and ordered 1,500 additional U.S. soldiers to the frontier.

Local residents, whose home borders the fence, report continuous construction activity and express opposition to Trump's migration policies. The enhanced security measures come as part of ongoing efforts to address illegal drug trafficking and migration across the nearly 3,150-kilometer border, though many locals remain unconvinced of their efficacy.