SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Thousands of workers who live in Mexico but work in the U.S. are watching closely as border policies evolve under the new administration.
In border communities like San Diego, it's common for people to work in the U.S. but live in Mexico.
"Whether it's retail, whether it's hospitality, even the professional fields, we've got medical people who are living there that come across," said Todd Walters, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135.
This workforce is dependent on border wait times and federal politics.
"I'm very concerned about our border in San Diego," Walters said.
The UFCW Local 135 represents more than 12,000 members in San Diego County. Though there's been no indication of a border shutdown, Walters worries about how Trump's policies along the border could impact multiple industries in San Diego.
"Scared to death, if that border gets closed or that border has severe delays, we're going to see the impact in all of San Diego," Walters said.
During the pandemic, the region saw the border close to all nonessential travel in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Walters says there are thousands of workers who are binational and can legally work in the U.S.; many of them are U.S. citizens. So far, he says he hasn't seen people missing shifts or calling out.
"There's more and more people heading south to live, and they're coming back to work," said Joaquin Luken with the Smart Border Coalition.
The organization estimates that 60,000 to 65,000 people cross daily for work.
"Healthcare workers, working for the hospitality industry, restaurant industry," Luken said.
Luken says that since Trump took office for the second time, there has been uncertainty, but no actual change in the number of people crossing, according to the most recent quarterly numbers.
"It's pretty much the same as 2024, so no real impacts to the legitimate trade and travel," Luken said.
Luken said those with legitimate reasons to cross for work are having no problems going to and from, just as they were 100 days ago. He reminds travelers to trust official pages instead of social media.
"From Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, something that us, Smart Border Coalition, can post which is real founded information, but not what your friend said or your neighbor said about the border," Luken said.
ABC 10News tried talking with people who work and live on either side of the border, but several expressed concern that talking for our story would somehow jeopardize their daily crossing routine.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
