Locals help Ukrainian refugees arriving at U.S. border in Mexico

Just a thousand feet from the U.S. border, and more than 6,000 miles from home, Ukrainians fleeing war eat and sleep on the streets of Tijuana.

Volunteers helping them say about 150 Ukrainians a day have been allowed to enter the U.S. on a humanitarian basis — and more are coming. There are currently about 2,000 refugees near the border. 

A once-regular bus stop in Tijuana is now a designated intake area specifically for Ukrainian refugees. 

"My mission is to help refugees," said Angelina Bozhko, a registered nurse who joined forces with an Orange County-based "Ukrainian Tijuana Medical Mission." The small group of volunteers includes medical professionals and translators. 

The group's acting medical director said his wife is Ukrainian. Although the group does not have Mexican medical licenses, they do what they can to help. 

"It's basically first aid plus things we call 'over-the-counter' medications in the United States," said Dr. Eric Hargis, a family physician. "And helping people access healthcare in Mexico." 

Tuesday morning the team helped bring a 3-month-old refugee with a brain tumor to an American hospital. 

"Thankfully we were able to get to the front of the line and the baby didn't have any seizures in the time that he was here," added Bozhko. 

Dr. Hargis said with so many refugees coming every day, they need help from larger groups like Doctors Without Borders or the Red Cross to navigate the dire needs at the border.