Ukrainians have arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border by the thousands

A makeshift shelter for Ukrainians in Tijuana, Mexico. Thousands who fled the war have been arriving here and waiting to be admitted by border agents into the United States. (Carlos A. Moreno for NPR)

Ukrainians fleeing the war have been arriving at Mexico’s northern border cities by the thousands. There, they are presenting themselves to U.S. border agents and asking for temporary admission to the United States on humanitarian grounds. Thousands of Ukrainians have been let in — availing themselves of the avenues that the Biden administration has opened to ease their admission into the U.S. faster than people who have come from other countries.

But so many Ukrainians have arrived that a backlog has formed.

In Tijuana, Mexico, across from San Diego, the swelling numbers spurred into action a massive volunteer effort organized by Ukrainian-Americans and others with ties to the region. They established a sprawling makeshift shelter, brought trays of Ukrainian food from Los Angeles and San Diego, and coordinated with immigration agents to shuttle large groups to the border for processing.