SAN DIEGO (NewsNation) — Video out of San Diego shows cartels using jet skis to drop off migrants along the beach, with Americans cheering them on.
The video, captured at Sunset Cliffs, includes bystanders saying, “Welcome to the USA” to the migrants.
Witnesses, including cliff divers, reacted with surprise and disbelief as the jet skis left, leaving some visibly exhausted migrants struggling to reach the beach while onlookers cheered and reacted.
‘Law enforcement’s hands are tied’: San Diego County supervisor
Local authorities note that such smuggling events, which have been happening for years, concern local communities.
“A lot of them come in nighttime. We have been picking up three or four boats per week that are just abandoned on our beaches. So, we know more are coming,” said San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond. “Unfortunately, I don’t think most Californians realize that this is the case where our law enforcement’s hands are tied.”
Migrant smuggling comes at a high price
This video emerged as the U.S. Department of Justice recently charged 19 people for smuggling migrants from Mexico into the U.S. via jet skis. Court documents indicated that the smugglers charged between $7,000 and $16,000 per migrant.
After arriving on the coast, migrants were often transported further into the U.S., to destinations such as Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Las Vegas.
This network highlights the extensive and organized nature of migrant smuggling operations and demonstrates how these criminal groups can evade law enforcement and expand their activities across state lines.