San Diego official warns city is ‘new epicenter’ of immigration crisis
A San Diego city official has labeled the city as the “new epicenter” for the border crisis, citing a surge in illegal crossings and migrants’ arrivals by boat. San Diego District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond criticized California’s policies, saying that the states actions have contributed to the crisis.
San Diego is the new epicenter for migrants and illegal immigration.
Yesterday alone, Border Patrol apprehended 2,000 illegal border crossers within the San Diego sector, including 206 Chinese nationals. This surge in illegal crossings has propelled San Diego to the unfortunate…
“San Diego is the new epicenter for migrants and illegal immigration,” Desmond said on X, formerly Twitter.
He highlighted a significant increase in illegal crossings, causing San Diego to lead all nine southern border sectors in April — a situation reportedly not seen since the 1990s.
According to Desmond, San Diego Border Patrol agents apprehended 2,000 people illegally crossing the border on Wednesday, April 24, including 206 Chinese nationals. Since October, Desmond said Border Patrol told him that there have been 214,855 apprehensions from 75 different countries.
The supervisor expressed concerns over migrants arriving by boat, contending that there is a lack of a vetting process compared to those who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border on foot.
Desmond criticized California’s policies, stating the state provides health care, legal advice and even funding for attorneys for deported migrants. Additionally, he claimed that local law enforcement is not allowed to enforce immigration law.
The San Diego Border Patrol has yet to confirm Desmond’s statistics or further comment on the matter as of the publishing of this article.
Victory for migrant children held by Border Patrol in open-air detention sites
A federal judge in California ruled Wednesday, April 3, that Border Patrol officers near San Diego have illegally detained hundreds of immigrant youths in “open-air detention sites” without adequate food, water or shelter. The judge mandated their rapid transfer to “safe and sanitary” facilities, and the Department of Homeland Security is now facing a lawsuit.
The Southern Border Communities Coalition and its partners filed a lawsuit against the DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, claiming migrants endure “dire conditions” prior to processing at Border Patrol stations.
The case spotlights seven locations near San Diego and Jacumba Hot Springs in southern California. The ruling highlighted waste disposal and sanitation issues described as “overflowing” and “unusable.”
“This means that the [open-air detention sites] not only have a foul smell, but also that trash is strewn about the [sites], and class members are forced to relieve themselves outdoors,” Gee said.
The court’s ruling requires CBP to cease holding minors at or directing them to open-air sites longer than needed for transport preparation to more suitable facilities.
CBP is reviewing the judge’s order and emphasized its commitment to swiftly moving vulnerable individuals and children to its facilities. However, officials have noted that their stations’ limited capacity hampers their ability to process all migrants at once, resulting in delays for some asylum-seekers.
The CBP’s juvenile coordinator must report in May on the number of minors detained in these conditions and the agency’s adherence to the court’s mandate.
New probe alleges staff kept migrants locked up during deadly Juarez fire
On March 26, 2023, a fire engulfed a migrant detention center in Juarez, Mexico, claiming the lives of 40 individuals and leaving 27 others injured. Nearly a year later, a new report suggests that staff may have knowingly kept detainees locked inside a holding cell as the fire burned.
Immediately following the fire, officials asserted that the keys to the cell couldn’t be found to release the trapped migrants. However, an investigation by Lighthouse Reports, in collaboration with La Verdad and El Paso Matters, found that the key to the detainees’ cell remained inside the facility until moments before the blaze.
Surveillance footage allegedly captures a staff member refusing to unlock the cell. The report indicates that a security guard passed the key to a colleague, who pocketed it.
Audio recordings purportedly capture a uniformed National Migration Institute member stating, “We are not going to open [the cell] for them, I already told those guys.”
Despite mounting evidence, the National Migration Institute has yet to issue a statement regarding the report.
Nine individuals, including federal and state agents, are facing charges in connection to the incident. The commissioner at the time remains in his position despite the criminal charges against him.
Bus company sued by NYC agrees to stop transporting migrants
Roadrunner Charters has agreed to halt the transport of migrants from Texas to New York, following a lawsuit filed by Mayor Eric Adams against the company and 16 others. The legal action alleges that these companies violated New York’s Social Services Law by transporting asylum seekers to the region without providing necessary support.
The city seeks approximately $708 million in damages, claiming the companies acted irresponsibly by bringing more than 33,600 migrants to New York since the spring of 2022 without ensuring their ongoing care. This action was deemed to be in “bad faith.”
“New York City continues to do our part as we lead the nation in managing this national humanitarian crisis, but reckless political games from the state of Texas will not be tolerated,” Adams said. “I am pleased to see that Roadrunner – one of the bus companies we sued for taking part in Texas Gov. Greg Abbott‘s scheme to transport tens of thousands of migrants to our city in an attempt to overwhelm our shelter system and shift costs to New York City – has agreed to halt the bussing of migrants into and around New York City while the lawsuit proceeds. We call on all other bus companies involved in this suit to do the same.”
As the lawsuit progresses, Roadrunner Charters will cease its operations of moving migrants to New York and its surrounding areas. Mayor Adams has voiced his criticism of Texas for what he perceives as politicizing the migration issue and commended Roadrunner’s decision to stop these transports. He also called on the other companies involved in the lawsuit to take similar action.
Court documents reveal that Texas has directed nearly 95,000 migrants to sanctuary cities, including New York, thereby straining the city’s shelter system.
Biden, Trump to visit U.S.-Mexico border on same day
As Michigan voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s primary elections, with immigration at the forefront of their minds, the upcoming simultaneous border visits by President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump later this week highlight the pressing nature of immigration issues in today’s political landscape. Biden, last at the southern border in January 2023, faces criticism from Trump and Republicans over his approach to managing migrant crossings into the U.S.
Biden and Trump are making dueling trips to the Mexico border in Texas on Thursday, AP sources say https://t.co/nqKQxVhfnz
President Biden is set to travel to Brownsville, Texas, where the White House has announced he will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officials on Thursday. He plans to urge Congress to pass bipartisan border security measures during his visit.
Meanwhile, Trump plans to visit the border town of Eagle Pass, where his campaign has stated he will deliver remarks.
A Monmouth University poll released on Monday, Feb. 26, highlights the national concern over illegal immigration, with six in ten Americans viewing it as a very serious problem. Furthermore, 53 percent of Americans are in favor of building a wall along the southern border, indicating significant public interest in border security measures.
“Illegal immigration has taken center stage as a defining issue this presidential election year. Other Monmouth polling found this to be Biden’s weakest policy area, including among his fellow Democrats,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
NYPD warns of migrant crime in NYC after shelter altercation caught on video
The New York Police Department said there is a migrant crime wave in the city. At the city’s largest migrant shelter on Randall’s Island, a recent altercation between police and migrants was caught on camera, Thursday, Feb. 15.
In the video, recorded from inside the shelter and posted to social media, migrants are seen throwing large objects at officers. Seconds later, there is a migrant on the ground surrounded by officers.
Police said the migrant man was resisting arrest and fighting with a security guard after being asked to leave because the shelter said he wasn’t supposed to be there.
The struggle to apprehend the man continued for several minutes. Officers carried him out by his arms and legs. More objects flew at officers before they rushed for the doors.
The migrant was arrested but prosecutors declined to move forward with the case, according to sources who spoke with the New York Post.
This isn’t an isolated event at the shelter on Randall’s Island. There have been several other altercations leading to a permanent police presence at the facility.
Since the start of 2024, a migrant was stabbed to death by another migrant in the food line. Two weeks later, a security guard was stabbed in the neck but survived — 18 migrants were taken into custody following the incident. One migrant was arrested after fighting police while intoxicated, sending an officer to the hospital with injuries.
While these are some of the incidents that have happened on the island, another altercation caught on camera in Times Square received national attention after migrants assaulted officers in the streets.
Police are warning of a rise in crime related to migrants, but New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the majority of them are not part of the problem.
“The overwhelming majority of migrants in our care came to our city in search of a better life and the American dream,” Adams said. “The small number of those disrupting that journey for the rest of the migrants in our care by acting violently will face enforcement to the fullest extent of the law.”
ICE could release thousands of detained migrants due to budget deficit
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly considering a plan to release thousands of migrants held in detention facilities due to a lack of funding to sustain operations. Detention facility operations amount to some of the costliest expenses for the agency. To trim costs while facing a budget deficit, more migrants could potentially be released in the U.S., according to drafted plans first obtained by The Washington Post.
Releasing migrants could ease the strain on ICE’s budget, but it could also add to a problem major cities face. Migrants are already being processed and released by other border agencies by the thousands. Streets and shelters in Denver, Chicago, New York City and others are overcrowded by migrants awaiting asylum court proceedings.
The immigrants detained by ICE crossed the border illegally or are charged with crimes and awaiting deportation. Because of the historic number of crossings at the southern border in 2023, the demand on resources is straining the entire immigration system and burning through funding.
ICE has an annual budget of $8.5 billion but faces a $700 million deficit. It is the largest shortfall the agency says it has faced in recent years, according to the Post.
News of this internal memo suggesting mass migrant releases to shave costs comes after the agency was heavily relying on Congress to pass the $118 billion dollar foreign aid package that failed in February.
Nearly $8 billion of that package’s funding would have gone to ICE, and the agency could have put $3 billion toward detention efforts. Lawmakers failed to pass the aid package after they couldn’t come to an agreement on how to fund and address the border crisis.
These developments have forced ICE to look at alternatives to cut costs, including cutting bed space. The internal proposal to save money would reduce capacity from 38,000 beds to 22,000.
This route would involve the potential release of thousands of detained immigrants and it would just add to what other border agencies are already doing. Since 2021, Customs and Border Protection has documented more than 2.3 million migrants processed and released into the U.S.
Omaha group assists El Paso shelters amid migrant crisis
The migrant crisis is putting a strain on the resources and economies of U.S. border cities. Now, those cities are seeking help from communities and organizations across the country.
One group in Omaha, Nebraska, has been doing what it can to ease the burden on El Paso, Texas, which officials say has been stretched beyond capacity.
El Paso accounts for 20% of all illegal entries at the southern border for fiscal year 2023. Border Patrol agents apprehended over 425,000 migrants who crossed into El Paso, marking a 38% increase from the previous year.
The city had to establish emergency “overflow” shelters and house thousands of migrants in local hotels, but it eventually reached a breaking point.
Source: Reuters
“In the last 30 days, we have sheltered over 16,000 people who might have otherwise been on the streets in El Paso, and we’ve provided over 40,000 meals. We want to ensure we treat people in the right manner,” Mayor Oscar Leeser said.
The majority of these migrants are awaiting deportation hearings, some of which could be years away.
One Texas-based shelter sought assistance from Omaha to provide temporary accommodation and support for these families while they make arrangements for their legal proceedings.
“Omaha Welcomes the Stranger” was established just one year ago in response to the significant increase in asylum-seekers in El Paso.
“We received an inquiry from a man named Ruben Garcia at Annunciation House, who said that, at that time, he worked in El Paso, Texas, and there were more people coming across the border than the local shelters could accommodate for temporary hospitality,” said Tom Hoarty, a board member at Omaha Welcomes the Stranger. “He asked if it would be possible for us to receive some of those asylum-seekers here in Omaha and give them a temporary place to stay while they made their arrangements to go to other parts of the country.”
Straight Arrow News
Last year, Omaha Welcomes the Stranger welcomed 39 asylum-seekers who arrived by bus from El Paso. The organization focuses on assisting families, including parents and children of various ages.
“Margaret and I volunteered in 2019 and 2021, and so we became familiar with the process at the local shelter in El Paso,” Hoarty said. “We saw the faces of the people, and once you’ve talked to the people and seen them face-to-face, and you’ve seen their children, you think ‘those children don’t look a whole lot different from my grandchildren. Why shouldn’t they have the opportunity to have a safe place to live?’”
Recently, more families are coming from Venezuela and often lack friends or sponsors in the United States. This makes the support that the organization offers even more crucial. According to the El Paso city website, Venezuelan nationals comprise 70% of the migrant population.
“Well, if the need arises for us to take a larger group of people like it did a year ago, we’re prepared to do that.” Hoarty said. “And we have a network of volunteers who have agreed to help us.”
For migrants seeking permanent residency, Hoarty believes that many would be more than willing to fill employment roles if given the opportunity.
“I think it’s important to realize that our country was built on the concept of immigration.” Hoarty said. “As you drive down any street in Omaha, you see signs that say ‘we’re hiring’ or ‘help wanted.’ We think there are a lot of people who would be more than happy to fill those jobs. So we try to do what we can to place people in situations where they can do that.”
The impacts of migration on small cities are intricate. Omaha Welcomes the Stranger represents a small-scale, privately funded initiative aimed at providing support to asylum-seekers. The organization is currently helping six families during their immigration process, and Hoarty says they are ready in case they are called on again.
We’re prepared to take a few families, as many as we can, and try to help them find places to live and work in Omaha.
Tom Hoarty, Omaha Welcomes the Stranger
“We receive donations from individuals across the region,” Hoarty said. “If anyone is interested in contributing, they can contact us through St. Pius the 10th Catholic Church in Omaha, and the church will forward the donation to us.”
US reopens Trump-era housing facilities for unaccompanied migrant children
President Joe Biden is reopening a second Trump-era border facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas. It’s purpose is to house unaccompanied migrant children, and it represents a significant policy shift for the Biden administration.
These facilities, known as “influx care facilities,” have been in use for emergency cases since as early as 2019.
In this July 9, 2019, photo, a staff member cleans in a dinning hall at the U.S. government’s newest holding center for migrant children in Carrizo Springs, Texas. The government said the holding center will give it much-needed capacity to take in more children from the Border Patrol. Source: AP Images.
Detaining unaccompanied migrant children in the United States has been a subject of ongoing controversy. Biden ran on overturning former President Donald Trump’s immigration actions, including the facilities used to house migrant children.
“I’m not making new laws; I’m eliminating bad policies,” Biden said in 2021. “What I’m doing is addressing issues. Ninety-nine percent of them — the last president of the United States issued executive orders that I thought were counterproductive to our security, counterproductive to who we are as a country. Particularly in the area of immigration.”
This is about how America is safer, stronger, and more prosperous when we have a fair, orderly, and humane legal immigration system.
President Joe Biden
However, Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services temporarily reopened the influx care facility in Carrizo Springs in February 2021. The migrant facility can start receiving unaccompanied minors as early as today.
Both the Trump and Biden administrations have grappled with increasing numbers of unaccompanied minors at the border, leading to criticism over potential violations of legal protections.
Children lie inside a pod at the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in Donna, Texas, March 30, 2021. When nearly 19,000 children traveling alone were stopped at the border in March 2021, senior officials including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and then-domestic policy chief Susan Rice met twice weekly to strategize, moving children out of badly overcrowded Border Patrol facilities to emergency shelters, including convention centers in California and military bases in Texas. Source: AP Images.
Allegations have surfaced that children were being held in adult facilities under unsafe and unsanitary conditions, described as juvenile prisons. Jennifer Costello was the acting DHS inspector general in 2019. While visiting CBP facilities, she reported that three out of five lacked shower access for children.
“We are gravely concerned about the conditions we see in the CBP facilities at the border. We are concerned that it could lead to additional security incidents and obviously a high risk of disease,” Costello said at a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing.
In 2021, the Carrizo Springs site housed migrant teenagers, but it’s now expanding with better facilities and higher care standards.
Judge to rule on Texas river buoy barrier as governors visit border
A hearing was set for Tuesday, Aug. 22 where a judge will consider whether Texas can keep the floating buoy barrier it constructed in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. The Justice Department sued Texas over the barrier, arguing it could impact relations with Mexico.
Both the department and Mexico have expressed concern the buoys could pose humanitarian and environmental risks. It wasn’t clear if U.S. District Judge David Ezra was going to rule on the barrier Tuesday.
The hearing was set to take place just days after Texas repositioned the river buoy barrier closer to the U.S. side of the river. On Monday, Aug. 21, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said the barrier was moved “out of an abundance of caution” after allegations that the buoys had drifted to the Mexico side.
“I don’t know whether they were true or not,” Gov. Abbott said. His comments Monday came during a visit to Eagle Pass, where he was joined by the following governors:
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA)
Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE)
Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK)
Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD)
“We have 14 Governors who are deploying personnel to secure the border that President Biden has abandoned. President Biden is not doing his job, and he is responsible for the largest amount of illegal immigration in the history of the United States and has rolled out a deadly welcome mat with a record number of people dying attempting to cross the border,” Abbott said. “There is a reason the United Nations has named the border between the United States and Mexico the deadliest land border in the entire world. President Biden is responsible for that deadly border, and we’re not going to stand idly by.”
Abbott’s mission to combat the border crisis, known as Operation Lone Star, has faced legal challenges. Four migrant men who were arrested by Texas troopers after crossing the border have sued county officials in the state.
According to the lawsuit, the men remained in a Texas jail for two to six weeks after they should have been released. The lawsuit alleges that instead of being released, the men were transported to federal immigration facilities and sent back to Mexico.
