(NewsNation) — Border Patrol has released more than 1,300 migrants onto the streets of San Diego since Friday after the welcome center that helped process them was forced to close due to a lack of funding.
NewsNation witnessed the release of dozens of individuals onto the streets who were predominantly single adults. Among them are migrants from diverse corners of the globe, including Africa, Asia, and South America. All said they are seeking better opportunities in the U.S., citing obstacles in their home countries as the reason for their migration.
“We’ve been through a lot of challenges in the neighboring country, in Mexico, but thankfully, we’re here safe and sound, thanks to God,” Fredy Jacinto Morales Rivas, a migrant from Ecuador, told NewsNation.
Another migrant, who came to the country from Morocco, told NewsNation that the majority of them are “scared, worried and don’t have money to spend or to take a plane.”
The recent street release comes after the South Bay Community Services migrant center closed its doors after the county ran out of funds that were earmarked to address the surge.
On the scene, migrants were actively seeking information to locate the airport and searching for cell phone chargers to communicate with family members. Many were trying to figure out the directions to their next destination.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond is urging the federal government to address this escalating situation.
“If we enforced our laws that required people to go through the embassy or apply online, we would be able to vet them in their own countries,” he said. “We’re not able to do that here.”
The recent influx has prompted a group known as “Border Vets” to take action. They are reinforcing the border by installing razor wire and sealing gaps on the east side of the San Diego border wall.
Border Patrol emphasizes that the public is prohibited from altering, modifying, or fixing the border barrier, and only authorized agents and contractors have that authority. Despite that, members of “Border Vets” assert that agents they’ve encountered haven’t stopped them and are generally appreciative of the support.
