San Diego Supervisors denounce federal response to migrant issue as a humanitarian crisis.
The Lack of Federal Resources for Asylum Seekers Declared a Humanitarian Crisis in San Diego
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously declared on Sept. 26 the lack of federal resources for asylum seekers a humanitarian crisis, along with making several recommendations.
The vote follows recent public concern over migrants being dropped in the San Diego County area by U.S. border agents.
As proposed by Supervisors Jim Desmond and board Chairwoman Nora Vargas, the declaration also:
-requests federal resources and personnel to manage asylum seekers, and connect them to their sponsors and final destinations, to prevent releasing them onto the street
-opposes lateral transfers of asylum seekers from other states or jurisdictions
-directs the county Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to send a detailed letter outlining the specific needs of local non-governmental organizations and impacted communities to San Diego’s federal delegation
-advocates for federal funding to develop a long-term solution, including a permanent facility and operational support when asylum seekers are released into the county
-in connection to a previous board decision in early February, directs the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to continue working with governments and non-governmental organizations on short- and long-term goals for the permanent border community. Ms. Vargas said that while the county has welcomed those requesting asylum based on a legal right to do so, it faces the challenge of a broken immigration system
“Every day, all over the world, people make the most difficult decision to leave their lives in search of a safer and better life,” Ms. Vargas said, adding the county “always steps up to meet the challenges when people needed it the most.”
Ms. Vargas said that while she and Mr. Desmond “may have fundamentally different views on immigration policy, we can both agree on one thing: This county urgently needs federal resources as we face a humanitarian crisis.”
Mr. Desmond said the migrant crisis is neither a Democrat nor a Republican issue, but “a federal responsibility issue.”
Mr. Desmond mentioned having visited a transit center on Sept. 24 in Oceanside and heard people who were dropped off asking, “Where am I?”
The immigration system is broken, and people are capitalizing on the federal government’s ineptness in terms of handling it, Mr. Desmond said.
“We can’t just continue down this path,” Mr. Desmond said. “We have empathy and we must acknowledge the practical limits of our own capacity to meet the needs of those who arrive in our region.”
Both Mr. Desmond and Ms. Vargas praised the efforts of various nonprofits which have helped migrants with food, shelter, or other resources. Representatives from some of those organizations, while supporting the declaration, also asked the county to do more. A woman who said she was a member of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, suggested that the county needed to apply for badly needed Federal Emergency Management Agency money, as one example.
“We’d like to make it clear that we cannot wait another day for the county to respond as well,” she said, adding that migrants are at risk of being trafficked or illness.
Over the weekend, Mr. Desmond complained about federal agents’ continuing practice of dropping off migrants from the Mexico border in San Diego County.
“This morning, I visited the Oceanside transit station and witnessed Border Patrol officials drop off over 20 migrants. Nearly 7,000 migrants have been dropped in San Diego in the past 10 days alone,” Mr. Desmond wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
His colleague Joel Anderson penned a letter to President Joe Biden asking for assistance.
“Receiving assistance from the federal government to process the asylum seekers entering San Diego and immediately halting the lateral transfer of asylum seekers from other states will allow us to better address this continuing humanitarian crisis without adding to our region’s existing homelessness crisis,” he wrote.
According to Anderson’s letter, the San Diego Rapid Response Network has served more than 157,000 people with shelter and other humanitarian aid since the Department of Homeland Security began releasing hundreds of migrant families onto San Diego’s streets in the fall of 2018.
“We expect an unknown number of individuals to be released by DHS directly into our community, left at transit centers throughout the region to fend for themselves,” Mr. Anderson wrote. “This is neither safe nor fair to San Diego County residents nor to those seeking refuge in our border county.”
Why is it important to have a coordinated approach involving federal agencies and local stakeholders to effectively manage the influx of asylum seekers in San Diego and avoid overwhelming local communities
Medical assistance. They emphasized the importance of collaboration between local organizations, government agencies, and federal resources to effectively address the humanitarian crisis.
The declaration by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors reflects the urgent need for federal support as the region grapples with an increasing number of asylum seekers. The responsibility of managing and assisting these individuals should not solely fall on the local government and non-governmental organizations. The federal government must step in and provide necessary resources and personnel to ensure that asylum seekers are connected to their sponsors and final destinations, rather than being released onto the streets.
Furthermore, the board opposes lateral transfers of asylum seekers from other states or jurisdictions. It is important to address the challenges faced by local communities and avoid overwhelming them with an influx of individuals seeking asylum. Instead, a coordinated approach involving federal agencies and local stakeholders should be implemented to manage the situation effectively.
To highlight the specific needs of local non-governmental organizations and impacted communities, the county Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will send a detailed letter to San Diego’s federal delegation. This will serve as a means to advocate for federal funding and support in developing a long-term solution. The establishment of a permanent facility, along with operational support, would greatly aid in managing the release of asylum seekers into the county.
The board also emphasizes the importance of working towards both short- and long-term goals for the permanent border community. The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will continue to collaborate with governments and non-governmental organizations to address the systemic issues within the immigration system.
Board Chairwoman Nora Vargas acknowledges the challenges faced by individuals who make the difficult decision to leave their lives behind in pursuit of a safer and better life. She emphasizes the county’s commitment to stepping up and meeting the challenges faced by these individuals, while recognizing the need for federal resources to address the humanitarian crisis.
Supervisor Jim Desmond echoes the sentiment that the migrant crisis is not a partisan issue, but rather a federal responsibility. He highlights the broken immigration system and emphasizes the need for federal intervention to address the inadequacies in handling the situation.
Both Desmond and Vargas commend the efforts of various nonprofits in providing assistance to migrants. These organizations have been instrumental in providing essential services such as food, shelter, and medical aid. However, their efforts alone are not sufficient to address the magnitude of the crisis. Federal support is essential to ensure a comprehensive and effective response.
In conclusion, the lack of federal resources for asylum seekers in San Diego has been declared a humanitarian crisis by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. The board advocates for federal resources and personnel to manage asylum seekers, opposes lateral transfers, and aims to develop a long-term solution through federal funding. The county recognizes the challenges faced by individuals seeking asylum and calls for a collaborative approach involving local and federal stakeholders. It is crucial for the federal government to acknowledge its responsibility and provide the necessary resources to address this humanitarian crisis.
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