Jacumba migrants

“THERE WERE GUYS WITH GUNS, WITH SILENCERS…” - RUSSIAN MIGRANT AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS SPEAK OUT

By Bransen P. Harper

Photos by Bransen P. Harper and Patrick J. Watkins

April 3, 2024 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- Last week, I took a journey out east to a hotspot along the border where undocumented migrants cross over into the U.S. on a daily basis, near the small town of Jacumba Hot Springs and Desert View Tower. International border crossings here have increased over the last couple of years significantly, although the area has seen prevalent human traffic in prior decades.

Using a Google translation program and translators among the migrants,  program, my associate,  Patrick J. Watkins, and I interviewed and photographed several undocumented migrants, whose stories were interesting and diverse. We also spoke with local volunteers aiding the asylum-seekers.


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IN U.S. BORDER TOWN - STEADY STREAM OF MIGRANTS CONTINUES

By Rebecca Person

photos By Pete Cerep

September15,2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- Just when a recent crisis of hundreds of stranded undocumented people seemed to abate, local residents of San Diego County border town Jacumba Hot Springs are reporting new waves of migrants seen on foot emerging from the rugged desert here.

In recent weeks, the numbers and frequency of sightings have increased from occasional to now several groups are observed each week. The latest group on September 13 numbered 62 people who scurried over a remote desert trail and clustered in the shade of tamarisk trees beside Old Highway 80 in Jacumba.

Photos of the travelers reveal them to be mostly young men, possibly Asian, though a few women and children were seen. By contrast, most of the May migrants said they were from Haiti, Turkey, Brazil or Guatemala, according to residents who brought them water and survival supplies.

Those pictured in photos in this article were loaded into vans late in the day on  Sept. 13 to be transported to their next destination under the apparent supervision of Border Patrol, witnesses told  ECM.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.