The surging border crossings in Southern California have placed immense strain on local communities. Migrants are frequently seen at transit hubs after immigration officials resumed street releases. According to San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, there is “no end in sight” for this situation, and it has become a “new norm.” The influx of migrants has overwhelmed both federal and local resources in the San Diego area. Border Patrol agents have encountered record numbers of illegal immigrants, leading to concerns about the state’s capacity to handle this ongoing crisis.
In the first days after crossing the border, migrants in Southern California follow a similar pattern: they surrender to Border Patrol agents, get “processed,” and are then released. Many of them end up at local transit stations, disappearing from San Diego County before residents even realize they’ve arrived. Mayor Bill Wells of El Cajon, located about 15 minutes from downtown San Diego, expressed concern that the border is now wide open, with little effort to prevent unauthorized entry.
The San Diego sector has seen an 85% increase in encounters compared with the same month last year, and fiscal year 2024 is on track to break records.
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