SAN DIEGO, California — In recent years, heightened walls lining the California-Mexico border have resulted in a concerning surge in TBI, local surgeons revealed.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, March 14, 2024, Dr. Joseph Ciacci, a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health, disclosed that in 2023 alone, the hospital confronted 500 head injuries stemming from migrants falling from the border wall, with a significant portion necessitating surgical intervention.
Reflecting on the frequency of such incidents, Dr. Ciacci remarked, “I can’t remember a week when we haven’t had an injury from a border wall incident for years and years.” Echoing Dr. Ciacci’s observations, Dr. Alexander Tenorio, a neurological surgery resident at the same medical facility, informed that they were witnessing a tenfold surge in migrants presenting with severe injuries compared to figures from 2019.
“Not only are the numbers going up, but the severity of these injuries—it’s much, much worse,” Dr. Tenorio emphasized. Further substantiating these claims, another San Diego hospital informed of a notable spike in injuries resulting from falls off the border wall in recent years, ranging from fractures to severe brain injuries. The escalation in wall-related injuries follows the doubling of the border wall’s height near San Diego in 2019.
Dr. Ciacci emphasized the daunting nature of the wall’s height, stating, “We’re talking about 30 feet. That’s a significant height to fall from. If you look at the structure of the wall, it was not designed in a way where climbing should be easy.” Dr. Ciacci further highlighted the financial toll of treating TBIs, with the burden ultimately falling on taxpayers.
