TIJUANA, Baja California, Mexico (Border Report) — Officials in Tijuana say so far this year, they have received about 20,000 people who have been deported or expelled from the United States.

The numbers on average, are a bit lower than the last two years.

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“Last year we had 67,000 people, the year before it was the same more or less, we are on course to finish the year with about the same number, maybe less,” said Alejandro Ruíz Uribe, a delegate with the Mexican Federal Government.

According to Ruíz, most of the deportees are middle-aged men.

“In the entire state of Baja California, we have gotten 22,379 repatriations, it might be less than last year due to the COVID-19 situation,” he said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations following the implementation of Title 42 USC 265 at the northern and southern land borders. U.S. Border Patrol agents use personal protective equipment as they prepare to transport a group of individuals encountered near Sasabe, Ariz. to the U.S. Mexico border on March 22, 2020. (Jerry Glaser/CBP)

Ruíz pointed to an immigrant shelter built by the Mexican government with room for 3,000 people, it’s operating at about 5-percent capacity.

“Basically they’re all women and children with a few men,” said Ruiz.

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