Thauany Danielle, a 19-year-old asylum seeker from Brazil, grasped water and socks donated by the American Friends Service Committee as she waited between two U.S.-Mexico border walls near San Diego on May 14, 2024. This moment, captured by Adrees Latif of Reuters, sheds light on the crucial work being done by volunteers at the border.
Whiskey 8, located near San Diego, has become a temporary home for hundreds of migrants. They camp in the open air, sometimes for days, waiting to be picked up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Wendy Fry of CalMatters, who has over 15 years of experience covering the border, reports on the tireless efforts of volunteers like Adriana Jasso from the American Friends Service Committee. These volunteers provide food, coffee, information, and aid that migrants desperately need but often do not receive from authorities.
Jasso poignantly states, “We find ourselves in the country with the most wealth in the history of humanity. And to know, and to hear over and over, from the authorities that people have to wait under these conditions.”
San Diego has become the busiest sector along the 2,000-mile southern border. In the first week of May alone, agents apprehended 8,303 migrants, a significant increase from the 3,311 apprehended in all of May 2020. This surge has overwhelmed federal, state, and local officials, leaving nonprofits and churches in the region struggling for funds and resources.
Border Patrol officials, grappling with overcrowded facilities, often release migrants onto the streets or at transit stops with minimal resources. Simultaneously, the agency is investing tens of millions of dollars into expanding surveillance capabilities. Over the next 14 years, $67.8 million will be spent on high-tech surveillance cameras, raising privacy concerns for millions living on both sides of the border.
Despite these challenges, humanitarian workers continue to step up. Volunteers like Jasso are on the front lines, providing essential services and advocating for better conditions. However, the community is divided on solutions. Some residents and business leaders argue that federal funds should be redirected to hire more staff at backed-up checkpoints to alleviate long wait times, which have negatively impacted small businesses and the regional economy.
*Here are some ways to get involved and/or learn about our border:
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