Some Tijuana residents say new border crossing pushing them away

TIJUANA (Border Report) — Guillermina Fernandez has lived near the Mexico-U.S. border on Tijuana east side of Tijuana for 30 years. When she first moved into Colonia Las Torres, there wasn’t much of a barrier, and her neighborhood had no running water or electricity. Since then, utilities have been put in and she’s seen the border wall go up just a few meters from her home, which she shares with her two daughters and husband. Five years ago, she began selling plants and flowers out of a nursery she started on her property. Guillermina Fernandez stands in her nursery, in the land she was forced to sell to the Mexican government to make way for the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry. (Jorge Nieto/Special for Border Report) The business has thrived and has become her family’s primary source of income. Air quality will improve once new port of entry opens, eases border traffic, officials say Fernandez says recently, people from the Mexican government have approached her about selling some of her land to be used for the Mexican side of the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry. “They said it was progress and not to stand in the way of it,” she said in Spanish. “They said it was progress and not to stand in the way of it.” GUILLERMINA FERNANDEZ, WHO LIVES NEAR THE PLANNED OTAY MESA EAST PORT OF ENTRY Fernandez says she sold 10 meters of her land to the government. “Truth be told, they didn’t pay very much, they could’ve up paid a lot more,” she said. Now, she said, her neighbors are also being approached. “We worry, we’re very worried they are going to take everything away,” Fernandez said. New port of entry breaks ground in San Diego She’s been given till next month to clear out all her plants, flowers, pots, buckets and tables as construction crews are set to begin grading the land. “They said it was for the border crossing, then they said it was for the roadway … maybe a bridge,” said Fernandez. “Everyone is being asked to turn over some of their property” For Fernandez, the main concern is finding a good home for her plants and flowers currently in her yard, which she estimates is well over 1,000. “I have to hurry to vacate, I need help moving all my plants,” she said. “In fact, I’ve started giving them away.” Visit BorderReport.com for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border Border Report reached out to Mexico’s federal government about the border crossing and the planned border crossing project for the area, and whether it plans to buy more land from residents. No one has made themselves available for comment. For more information visit us at http://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/index.html.