The human cost of securing the border has manifested in a surge of severe injuries treated at UC San Diego Medical Center, as migrants continue to tackle the perilous 30-foot fence barrier. NBC 7 reports that the hospital has witnessed an alarming rise in the frequency and severity of injuries, with cases involving significant trauma to the brain and spine.
According to Alexander Tenorio, a neurosurgery resident at UC San Diego Health, some migrants, many of whom are young adults, suffer injuries so catastrophic they're left with debilitating conditions preventing speech or movement. "These are young patients," Tenorio told NBC 7. "They're my age. They could easily be me." Many of those who endure these treacherous falls find themselves in a San Diego emergency room, battered by the ordeal and often without the means to cover their medical expenses.
Injury incidents have escalated since the height of the border fence was raised from 17 feet to 30 feet during the Trump Administration. UC San Diego has become a repository of such dire cases, with the hospital disclosing the treatment of 270 such patients in 2021, a drastic increase from 49 in 2019. As reported by NBC 7, the numbers are expected to surpass 360 this year, prompting the conversion of even a postpartum unit to accommodate the afflicted.
The individual stories behind these statistics often go unheard, like that of Karely, a Venezuelan migrant who injured herself trying to cross into the U.S. “I couldn’t hold on and I slipped,” she recounted to NBC 7, articulating the despair many like her feel when their dreams of a better life lead to physical harm. These incidents underscore a chilling reality: the quest for safety and opportunity can result in life-altering injuries or worse. Despite this, for many, the risk is considered worth it.
The influx of injured migrants presents more than just a medical challenge; it's a socioeconomic one, too. Follow-up care is compromised by patients' lack of insurance. Tenorio observes, only a small percentage return for necessary medical follow-ups. Over a thousand migrants have been treated at UC San Diego since 2019, with 23 reported fatalities. The patient demographics reveal a broader narrative: two-thirds are Mexican nationals, while the rest hail from a myriad of global origins, according to NBC 7.
