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East County News ServiceMay 1, 2024 (San Diego) – The federal government has approved $19.6 million for a long-term migrant and asylum-seeker transit center in San Diego County. The action comes after a migrant center in San Diego shut down in February after running out of money, and after County Supervisors asked the Biden administration for help.
Supervisors approved $6 million last year --$3 million each in October and December, to open the migrant center and keep it running. But it wasn’t enough, prompting Chair Nora Vargas to propose a sustainable and federally funded center.
On April 30th, Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to advance a proposal to use money from the county’s general fund reserves to temporarily aid migrants while awaiting arrival of the federal money.
That aid will include shelter, food, transportation, hygiene supplies and acute medical care for migrants released from custody by the Department of Homeland Security
Interim chief administration Sarah Aghassi will formally request the funding at Supervisors’ meeting on May 21st. She is also applying for grant funds to assist migrants.
Supervisor Joel Anderson, whose district includes East County where thousands of migrants are regularly crossing the border in Jacumba, says our region has had over 135,000 migrants released onto the streets since last September. The migrant center had processed over 80,000 people, with nearly all—99%--moving on to locations outside of San Diego County, until the migrant center shut down in February.
Anderson says the new plan isn’t perfect, but he called it a “step in the right direction” to make sure the migrants don’t wind up homeless or exploited, such as through human trafficking.
Chair Vargas thanked her colleagues for support, adding, “Together, we are working to tackle the global humanitarian crisis at our border by expediting the asylum process, reducing street releases, and ensuring that asylum-seekers are treated with the utmost dignity as they seek safety and a brighter future.”
Supervisors Monica Montgomery Steppe and Terra Lawson-Remer are also supportive of the long-term shelter plan. But Supervisor Jim Desmond is opposed.
Desmond wants to see federal dollars used instead to beef up security at the border, screen migrants entering the U.S., and increase efforts to stop boats offshore from smuggling migrants into the U.S.
During public comments, several nonprofit spokespersons proposed ideas to help migrants and asked the county for an open bidding process to operate the migrant center, with full transparency over how funds are expended.
Comments
Oh Great
Just when I need Kaiser medical care in my old age the hospitals are going to be flooded with illegals.