SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Hundreds of migrants were dropped off at San Diego transit stations Friday after the welcome center that used to help process them closed Thursday. The Old Town transit station and one on Iris Avenue were flooded with migrants dropped off by Border Patrol officials.
The nonprofit, formerly known as South Bay Community Services, closed Thursday due to running out of funds. The welcome center fed migrants and helped them charge phones and have a place to be until travel arrangements were finalized. The San Diego Migrant Welcome Center processed 81,000 migrants since October.
Lisandra Savon is from Cuba and says arriving in the United States is a dream come true. She and her partner waited at the San Diego International Airport for their flight to Las Vegas where her brother is waiting. They were one of hundreds who arrived Friday.
Krystle Johnson and her team of volunteers with We All We Got SD are helping fill the gap and spent Friday evening at the San Diego International Airport passing out food and water to migrants.
“It’s a huge gap left by the city and the county to support people here,” Johnson said. “To me it’s about family reunification. They are trying to get to their families and friends. They are here. They feel they have the American dream.”
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells understands the sentiment but told FOX 5/KUSI Border Patrol officials told him to possibly expect migrant drop-offs next week in his city.
“At some point, you’re going to see congregations of people sleeping under freeways,” Wells said. “Our shelters are full. Our hospitals are full. Now you’re going to add another 1,000 people a day.”
Congressman Darrell Issa issued a statement and is calling for a briefing in relation to national security.
“I can confirm that thousands of illegal migrants from adversarial nations including China, Russia, and Syria, have crossed into our Jacumba Springs Community and more arrive every day,” Issa said. “The risks to our national security are real.”