Photos: Migrants in Tijuana trickle from over and under the border wall

A steady trickle of Central American migrants have been finding ways to climb over, tunnel under or slip through the US border wall to plant their feet on US soil and ask for asylum. They all sought to skip the long official wait on the Mexico side for filing asylum claim with the US by getting over the wall and simply handing themselves over to border patrol agents. Over two nights last week, Associated Press journalists saw more than a dozen migrants taking the risk.

Updated on: Dec 12, 2018 9:37 AM IST

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Honduran migrant Joel Mendez, 22, feeds his eight-month-old son Daniel as his partner Yesenia Martinez, 24, crawls through a hole in the rain-softened soil under the wall, in Tijuana, Mexico. Moments later Martinez surrendered to waiting border guards while Mendez stayed behind in Tijuana to work, saying he feared he’d be deported if he crossed. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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A group of young people hoisted themselves over the wall to San Ysidro, California, hoping that their ticket to a better life was finally within reach. One migrant offered a hand to help the others jumping down onto US territory. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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They all sought to skip the long official wait on the Mexico side for filing asylum claim with the US by getting over the wall and handing themselves over to US agents. Last week, US Customs and Border Protection said the San Diego sector had experienced a “slight uptick” in families entering illegally with the goal of seeking asylum. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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A woman holding a baby peers through the US border fence as she tries to reach a point where scores of migrants have been crossing in recent days, now blocked by private security. Thousands of migrants are living in crowded tent cities in Tijuana after undertaking a grueling journey from Central America to the US border. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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A Central American migrant lowers herself down from atop the border wall onto the US side. A large number have decided to make new lives in Mexico, applying for work permits and taking jobs at local factories while they wait as the US government processes about 100 asylum requests a day at the San Ysidro crossing, the United States’ busiest. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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Honduran migrants climb over a section of the border fence before handing themselves in to border control agents. But by word of mouth, some have realized they can simply cross into US territory, largely uninhibited by Mexican authorities. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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A woman and child migrant start up a hill in San Ysidro, California after climbing over the US border wall. In twos or threes — occasionally by the dozen — they arrive at the border wall and manage to get over. Often within minutes, border officers quickly arrive to escort them to detention centers and begin “credible fear” interviews. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

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A woman climbs the border wall, planning to surrender to US Border Patrol agents and apply for asylum. Over two nights last week, Associated Press journalists saw more than a dozen migrants taking the risk. In the dark of night, migrants could be seen walking up a hill inside US territory toward agents waiting to detain them. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)