Inside the Deportee Slums of Tijuana

Quick Overview

Tijuana's "Cartolandia" slum, home to deportees and Amazon workers, highlights the stark contrast between extreme poverty and corporate wealth, a consequence of historical US economic policies and immigration enforcement that created a population reliant on makeshift housing and low-wage labor.

Summary

Key Points: Hector Mendoza, deported after 30 years in the US for unknowingly possessing a stolen bicycle, now lives in Tijuana's Cartolandia. Cartolandia, also known as Nueva Esperanza, is a Tijuana slum housing close to a thousand people, many of whom are newly deported from the US. Residents of Cartolandia live in makeshift homes built from materials like drywall and wood, lacking basic amenities like cement floors, consistent water, and electricity. The area faces significant security challenges, including drug cartel control and high murder rates, with a recent killing occurring near the community. A large Amazon warehouse, located just 100 feet from the slum, initially promised jobs and development but has become a symbol of the stark economic disparity, leading Amazon to remove its logo from the building. Many Cartolandia residents, including family members of interviewees, work or have worked for Amazon, building homes nearby for proximity to their jobs. The existence of Cartolandia is linked to historical US economic policies and immigration laws that devalued Mexican currency and led to US factories moving to Mexico, creating a demand for cheap labor and a rural exodus.

Context: Cartolandia, officially known as Nueva Esperanza, is a sprawling informal settlement in Tijuana, Mexico, located just miles from the US border and adjacent to a large Amazon fulfillment center. This community is largely populated by individuals who have been deported from the United States, many of whom lived there for decades, and Mexican citizens seeking work in the border region. The video explores the harsh living conditions, security challenges, and the complex socio-economic factors, including historical US policies and corporate presence, that contribute to the existence and nature of this unique slum.