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The US Embassy in Mexico suspended all US government activities in, and travel to, Mexicali on August 25, pointing to threat information in a security alert to American citizens. Mexicali is the capital of Baja California and sits on the border across from Calexico, California. The embassy did not describe the nature of the threat.
Officials told US citizens in the city to avoid government buildings and to seek shelter if an incident occurs. The alert advised people to follow instructions from Mexican law enforcement, monitor local media for updates, stay aware of their surroundings, and notify friends and family of their safety in the event of an incident.
The embassy listed emergency assistance lines for US citizens, reachable around the clock from both Mexico and the United States. It pointed travelers to its WhatsApp channel for alerts and to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, a free service that lets citizens abroad register their trips and receive security updates from the nearest post.
Mexico sits under a Level 2 advisory from the State Department, which tells travelers to exercise increased caution because of terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. The alert falls under a broader Worldwide Caution the department has kept in place for Americans abroad.
The suspension applied to August 25. The embassy did not say when normal government operations in Mexicali would resume, or whether the warning extended beyond that day.
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