NewsNation

San Diego overwhelmed by latest migrant surge

(NewsNation) — More than 300 asylum seekers were dropped off at transit centers across San Diego Sunday morning as the city’s border patrol facilities are overwhelmed by another surge of migrants illegally entering the U.S.

This is the fifth straight day migrants have been dropped off on the streets of San Diego, bringing the total number of migrants entering the city in the past five days to 2,300.


Though the Biden administration has said they will be deported under Title 8, the majority of these migrants have already been processed and have court dates set. Most of them are headed to other major cities around the country.

San Diego County officials say they are getting neither a heads-up nor additional resources from the federal government.

“To have all these migrants come in, and the numbers they’re talking, San Diego’s talking 2,000 per day. That’s just an amazing number of people and what I’m being told is that they’re ending up in these stations, they’re wandering around, they’re asking for help, they’re saying, “we don’t speak the language, can we borrow somebody’s phone?” “Where do we go? What do we do?” said El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells.

Sources tell NewsNation more dropoffs could be coming in the following week. County supervisor Jim Desmond is worried they aren’t being properly vetted before being released into the community.

“We’re dropping off people around the world. They’re coming to our communities and just being dropped into our neighborhoods without the resources and without the help they need,” said Desmond, San Diego County supervisor of District 5.

“It’s unfortunate, we’re trying to do the best we can to get people to their sponsors, if they have a sponsor, and get them in connection with their families, wherever that might be, and then help them to get to their destination,” Desmond added.

These releases often take place near transportation sites such as train and bus stations, which migrants can use to travel further into the U.S.

Earlier this week, Arizona border patrol agents released migrants onto the streets of Tuscon as well as small rural towns. Cochise County Sheriff Mark Daniels told NewsNation he was blindsided by the move.

“We don’t have the basic essentials and needs that most people have. That’s why we take them to more urban areas where they have more logistical support for them …They’re wandering around the county here,” Daniels said.