The release of a “minimum” of 125,000 migrants from detention “without adequate vetting” and their placement on San Diego’s streets during the previous seven months, according to a San Diego County official, has occurred.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond reports that since late February, the city has released over 24,000 migrants onto its streets, totaling over 125,000 over the previous seven months.
The San Diego County Supervisor told the NY Post that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are “totally overburdened” as a result of the surge in border crossings in Southern California and that this might have “dire ramifications” for the rest of the country.
Over 125,000 migrants have been dropped in San Diego County in the past 7 months. This isn't just a local issue; it's a national issue, as most people are going elsewhere in the country.
Open border policies, without proper vetting, have dire consequences. We have already seen… pic.twitter.com/L43VV4AhrI
— Supervisor Jim Desmond (@jim_desmond) April 8, 2024
According to information provided to Desmond’s office by CBP, “more than 125,000 migrants have been abandoned in San Diego County since September 2023,” he told The New York Post. We are aware of only the absolute minimum, excluding elderly individuals, families, and boat arrivals. The numbers have increased dramatically.
Desmond said that migrants are “simply coming across the border unchecked, and no one is stopping them” as a result of a lack of resources.
Places like Jacumba in the western part of the county have seen this; until recently, gaps and fissures in the border wall made it simple for hordes of migrants to enter the country.
Desmond further asserted that CBP is not having the time or resources to properly vet its detainees and is releasing them from detention way too fast. According to CBP sources, the process of thoroughly screening and interviewing migrants takes around 72 hours to finish.
“Most individuals are freed from jail within 24 to 48 hours and then move elsewhere in the country, often to the East Coast,” he stated. “It is a national issue.”
Desmond claims that although there is one federally sponsored migrant facility, many migrants “loiter” across San Diego since there is “nowhere for [the majority] to go.”
“They are being dumped off at a transportation facility in Southern California where there are buses or trains that do not even have amenities or restrooms,” Desmond said.
Some migrants have reportedly been seen to “relieve themselves” in public spaces, including parking lots and San Diego streets, according to earlier accounts from other local media outlets.
“People’s needs are not being satisfied,” Desmond went on. “It must be a compassionate procedure.”
Groups of migrants are regularly seen sleeping at San Diego Airport after being released from detention, waiting to board flights to other areas of the country. Social media users have frequently attacked the place, saying that it appears to be a makeshift haven for migrants.
Sadly, 90% of migrants travel on to other cities like Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, according to Desmond, who also predicted that San Diego Airport has become the de facto refuge where they sleep.
