The order, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge James Simmons Jr. of the Southern District of California, requires the privately run detention center to permit an inspection of the 1,400-bed facility. The ruling could shape how counties across California use a new state law that gives local governments additional authority to inspect privately operated immigration detention centers.

San Diego County sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in March after two county supervisors and a health inspector were denied full access to the Otay Mesa facility, which is owned and operated by CoreCivic. The county was the first in California to attempt to use inspection powers granted under a 2024 state law.

Simmons indicated last month that the county was likely to prevail on its claim that it has authority under state law to conduct public health inspections at the facility.

In Wednesday’s order, the judge wrote that the inspection must be completed “as soon as possible” and no later than June 17, 2026. He also directed CoreCivic to provide a list of policies and procedures requested by the county.

“The county is responsible for the safety and health of anyone within its jurisdiction, including people detained in the facility,” County Counsel Damon Brown said at a news conference after a May hearing.

Otay Mesa is one of eight privately operated immigration detention centers in California. Together, those facilities hold about 5,300 people, up from roughly 3,100 shortly after President Trump took office in April 2025 and began a nationwide immigration enforcement campaign.

The judge also instructed county officials to work with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CoreCivic to resolve details of the inspection. Those issues include who may participate, which parts of the facility may be reviewed, and how officials should obtain consent from detainees for interviews and medical record reviews.

During the court hearing, CoreCivic attorney Anne Orcutt said the Tennessee-based private prison company had filed a California Public Records Act request with San Diego County to determine whether county supervisors typically accompany health officials during public health inspections.

Speaking by Zoom, Orcutt described the county’s request to inspect the facility as unprecedented and discriminatory toward the federal government.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who was denied access during the attempted inspection in February, dismissed that argument as a distraction.

“That is a clear red herring,” Lawson-Remer said. “The first people who arrived were a public health official and a nurse. They were not allowed access to any of the relevant documents and were removed from the facility. The public health inspection was denied with or without our presence.”

At a March news conference announcing the lawsuit, county supervisors said reporting by CalMatters had played an important role in prompting the inspection order. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre specifically cited the case of a deaf Mongolian man who spent more than four months in custody without access to a Mongolian sign language interpreter, a situation his attorney described as total isolation.

CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin said the company’s top priority is “the safety, health and well-being of the individuals in our care.”

“We fully respect the judicial process and remain committed to working with both ICE and San Diego County to reach a mutually agreed-upon resolution to this matter,” Gustin said.

Original source: CalMatters

The post Federal Judge Orders San Diego County Health Inspection at Immigration Detention Center appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

U.S. District Judge James Simmons Jr. of the Southern District of California issued the order Wednesday, directing the 1,400-bed facility to allow the county’s inspection to move forward as soon as possible and no later than June 17, 2026. The Otay Mesa facility is owned and operated by CoreCivic under contract with federal immigration authorities.

The ruling comes after San Diego County sued the Department of Homeland Security in March, arguing that county officials were unlawfully denied access when they attempted to inspect the facility earlier this year. The county sought to enforce a California law passed in 2024 that authorizes local health officials to inspect immigrant detention centers.

San Diego County is the first county in California to try to use that authority. The case could influence how other local governments across the state handle inspections of detention centers that hold people in federal immigration custody.

In a prior ruling last month, Simmons indicated the county was likely to prevail on its claim that it has authority under state law to conduct public health inspections at the facility. In Wednesday’s order, he also directed CoreCivic to provide the county with a list of requested policies and procedures.

“The county is responsible for the safety and the health of anyone who is within this jurisdiction, which includes those detained in the facility,” County Counsel Damon Brown said during a May news conference following a court hearing.

Otay Mesa is one of eight privately run immigration detention centers in California. Together, those facilities are holding about 5,300 people, an increase from roughly 3,100 shortly after President Donald Trump took office in April 2025 and began a nationwide immigration enforcement push.

The judge ordered county officials to confer with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CoreCivic to work out the details of the inspection. Those issues include who may take part, which areas of the detention center may be inspected, and how detainees’ consent will be obtained for interviews and review of medical records.

During the court hearing, CoreCivic attorney Anne Orcutt said the company has filed a California Public Records Act request with San Diego County to determine whether county supervisors typically accompany health officials during public health inspections. Orcutt, who appeared by Zoom, described the county’s attempted inspection as unusual and argued it unfairly singled out the federal government.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who was among the officials denied access during the February inspection attempt, rejected that argument.

“That is the epitome of a red herring,” Lawson-Remer said. “The first people who arrived were a public health officer and a nurse. They were not allowed access to any of the relevant documents and were kicked out of the facility. The public health inspection was denied with or without our presence.”

County supervisors announced the lawsuit in March and said reporting by CalMatters had helped prompt their concerns about conditions at the facility. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre specifically cited the case of a deaf Mongolian man who was detained for more than four months without access to a Mongolian Sign Language interpreter. His attorney said the lack of communication amounted to conditions similar to solitary confinement.

CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin said the company remains focused on the people held at the facility.

“Our top priority is the safety, health and well-being of the individuals entrusted to our care,” Gustin said. “We fully respect the judicial process and remain committed to working with both ICE and San Diego County to find a mutually agreed-upon resolution to this matter.”

Original source: CalMatters

The post Judge Orders San Diego County Health Inspection at Immigrant Detention Center appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

A small group of Republican state lawmakers considered vulnerable by Democrats has drawn multiple challengers, setting up races that could help determine the balance of power in Sacramento after November. Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, regardless of party.

Democratic candidates in swing districts are hoping President Donald Trump’s declining popularity in California, along with voter reaction to his policies on tariffs, immigration enforcement and the war in Iran, will create problems for Republican incumbents. GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, have sought to avoid making Trump the focus of their campaigns while still holding support from the party’s pro-Trump base.

One of the Inland Empire’s most closely watched races is in Riverside County, where Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, a Corona Republican, is expected to face a rematch with Riverside City Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, a Democrat. Cervantes narrowly lost to Castillo two years ago after raising substantial campaign funds. Tuesday’s results could provide a preview of how competitive their November contest may be.

In the Coachella Valley, Republican Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez of Coachella is being challenged by three Democrats. Gonzalez has taken a more moderate position on immigration than many of his Republican colleagues, a stance that could be tested in a district where Democrats see an opportunity.

Similar dynamics are playing out in other purple districts across the state, from northern Sacramento County to Orange County, where Republican incumbents are trying to hold off Democratic efforts to flip seats.

Democrats are also defending seats in Southern California. In San Diego County, Sen. Catherine Blakespear, an Encinitas Democrat, faces Republican Laura Bassett in a district expected to be competitive.

Elsewhere in the state, heavily Democratic areas are featuring crowded intraparty contests for open seats. In the coastal district that includes Malibu and Santa Monica, several Democrats are competing to replace Sen. Ben Allen, who is running for state insurance commissioner. In Los Angeles, a five-way race to succeed Assemblymember Mike Gipson, who is leaving office because of term limits, has divided major labor unions and Democratic organizations.

San Diego County also has a Republican contest that may signal where the state party is headed. The race to replace GOP Sen. Brian Jones, who is termed out, has become a fight between two wings of the party: a more moderate San Marcos city councilmember backed by Jones and a far-right conservative contender.

Together, the results will offer an early measure of how much national politics may shape California’s legislative races — and whether Democrats can turn concerns about Trump into gains in competitive districts across Southern California and beyond.

Original source: CalMatters

The post Today’s Election Tests Whether Trump’s Slide Is Weighing on California Republicans appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, regardless of party. That format is especially important this year as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress and as Republicans have benefited nationally from a series of redistricting-related court decisions.

Democrats are entering the primary with optimism in California after voters approved Proposition 50, which redrew congressional boundaries and sharply reduced the number of competitive districts statewide. If Democrats win the House, they would gain the power to block President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities, scrutinize cabinet officials and pursue investigations into his administration.

Despite the broader national stakes, only two California districts are considered truly competitive: one in the San Joaquin Valley and one in San Diego County. Several other closely watched contests involve Democrats challenging fellow Democrats, often with generational and ideological divides at the center of the campaigns.

The highest-profile race is in the 22nd Congressional District, anchored by Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley. Republican Rep. David Valadao, considered one of the most vulnerable GOP incumbents in the country, is seeking reelection. His lone defeat came in 2018 during Trump’s first term. As the only Republican in the race, Valadao is widely expected to secure a spot in the November runoff.

The more uncertain question is which Democrat will face him. Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a physician with extensive experience in hospitals and clinics that depend on Medi-Cal funding, is running as a pragmatic Democrat willing to break with her party. She is competing against Randy Villegas, a college professor and school board trustee who is campaigning as a progressive and has support from the Working Families Party, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The contest reflects a broader Democratic debate over how to win back voters who drifted away in 2024. Bains has backing from national Democrats and several current members of Congress, while Villegas is appealing to voters with a more progressive, economically populist message.

In San Diego County’s 48th Congressional District, Democrats are competing for the chance to run against Republican Jim Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor who has been endorsed by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa.

Two Democrats have separated themselves from the field: San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert and Ammar Campa-Najjar, a former Labor Department aide in the Obama administration who previously lost two races to Issa. Brandon Riker, a Palm Springs businessman who shifted districts after Proposition 50, is also running.

The Democratic primary has grown increasingly sharp. Von Wilpert accused Campa-Najjar of being anti-LGBTQ after he questioned whether she could appeal to voters beyond gay-friendly Palm Springs. Campa-Najjar, in turn, accused von Wilpert of racism for raising questions about his name changes and residency.

Elsewhere in California, several races are testing the staying power of longtime Democratic incumbents as younger candidates argue the party needs new leadership.

In San Francisco’s 11th Congressional District, the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has developed into a competition for second place. State Sen. Scott Wiener leads by double digits in public polling and is expected to advance to November. San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, who received Pelosi’s endorsement two weeks before election day, and billionaire tech entrepreneur Saikat Chakrabarti are battling for the other runoff spot.

In Sacramento’s 7th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui is facing the most serious challenge of her 20-year congressional career. Her opponent, Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang, is a progressive candidate nearly half Matsui’s age and is campaigning on a message of generational change.

The reshaped 6th Congressional District in the Sacramento suburbs has also drawn attention. Democratic Rep. Ami Bera left that district to run in the newly configured 3rd District. Rep. Kevin Kiley, the incumbent in the 3rd, later left the Republican Party and entered the 6th District race as an independent.

A Democratic-sponsored poll showed Kiley leading the field, with former state Sen. Dr. Richard Pan ahead of the other Democratic candidates. Other Democrats running include Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Planned Parenthood public affairs executive Lauren Babb-Tomlinson and West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero.

In Wine Country’s 4th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson, 75, is seeking a 15th term while facing a challenge from 36-year-old Eric Jones, a former venture capitalist. Jones is focusing his campaign on affordability, including a proposed $10,000 middle-class tax credit and expanded access to zero-down mortgages.

Thompson is emphasizing his seniority, his work opposing the Trump administration and his record of securing federal funding for local projects. He serves as a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy. Two Republican candidates, John MacKenzie and Ray Rihele, have been heavily outspent and are not expected to advance.

In Los Angeles County’s 32nd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman, 71, is seeking another term after nearly three decades representing some of the region’s affluent northwestern suburbs. His leading challenger, 42-year-old Jake Levine, argues Sherman has grown disconnected from the district.

Levine, a former climate adviser to Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, is running on a progressive platform that includes universal child care, a federal renters’ tax credit and tuition-free college.

Both Sherman and Levine are expected to move on to the November election.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California House Primaries Could Help Decide Control of Congress appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

San Diego County officials are seeking funding to repair a road crossing at Saturn Boulevard, a site identified by researchers and local leaders as a major source of airborne pollution from the river. The crossing, located along a rural stretch near the Tijuana River, has aging culverts that force sewage-contaminated water through concrete pipes, creating turbulence that can release hydrogen sulfide gas and other pollutants into the air.

The proposed repair is estimated to cost about $25 million. County leaders say the work would not solve the broader sewage crisis, but it could reduce the foul odors and harmful emissions that have affected residents in Imperial Beach, Coronado and other South Bay communities.

San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, who has been a leading voice on the issue, said improving the Saturn Boulevard crossing could reduce the churning water that sends contaminated aerosols into nearby neighborhoods.

The project is being pursued while the United States and Mexico work toward roughly $800 million in wastewater improvements on both sides of the border. Those larger efforts are aimed at reducing the untreated sewage that regularly flows through the Tijuana River and into the Pacific Ocean.

For decades, cross-border pollution has closed beaches and threatened public health in southern San Diego County. The problem has worsened as Tijuana’s population has grown and wastewater systems on both sides of the border have struggled or failed, allowing huge volumes of raw sewage to reach the river and ocean.

For years, the focus was largely on contaminated water and the risks to swimmers and surfers. But in 2024, researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that the pollution was also affecting the air. The river was emitting airborne chemicals, including hydrogen sulfide, which can cause respiratory problems and other health concerns.

Residents in nearby communities have reported asthma symptoms, headaches, skin rashes, stomach problems and other ailments, even when they do not enter the water. Families have expressed concerns about children playing outdoors, and some schools have kept students inside during periods of poor air quality.

Researchers traced much of the airborne pollution to the Saturn Boulevard site. The culvert system was originally built decades ago to move floodwater away from nearby farm fields. During flows, water crosses the road and rushes through the pipes, producing foam and spray that can carry contaminants into the air.

County officials say reengineering the site would help control floodwater and reduce the release of toxic gases and particles. But the project still needs a dedicated funding source.

One possible source is Proposition 4, the $10 billion climate bond approved by California voters in 2024. The measure includes about $50 million for border river projects, including work on the Tijuana River in San Diego County and the New River in Imperial County.

The money has been delayed by administrative procedures. This year, state Sen. David Alvarez, a San Diego Democrat, introduced legislation intended to remove some of the bureaucratic hurdles and speed up the release of the bond funds.

Jennifer Toney, a senior engineer with the State Water Resources Control Board, said the agency plans to accept grant applications for the funding from June through August, with awards expected by early next year. Local governments and nonprofit groups working on eligible river projects can apply.

The board could award as much as $20 million for construction projects such as the Saturn Boulevard repair, Toney said. However, the funding is expected to be competitive. Other possible projects include sediment removal, trash capture and additional work along the Tijuana River, as well as proposals for the New River in Imperial County.

A separate request in this year’s state budget seeks $23 million for most of the Saturn Boulevard construction. If approved, that allocation could allow the climate bond money to be used for other border water projects.

Another option is a proposed half-cent sales tax in San Diego County, called the Protect San Diego County Health and Safety Act, which is scheduled to go before voters in November. The tax could raise an estimated $360 million annually, with about $80 million identified for Tijuana River improvements.

The measure would allow up to 22.5% of revenue to be used for environmental mitigation tied to the Tijuana Valley sewage crisis, though it does not specify individual projects such as the Saturn Boulevard site.

While officials work to secure money for the larger repair, San Diego County is also moving ahead with a temporary fix that could be completed sooner. That short-term project is expected to cost about $2.5 million and could be in place by this time next year.

County Public Works Director Marisa Barrie said the temporary work would extend the existing pipes and move water downstream through an enclosed system. The goal is to reduce the turbulence that causes pollutants to become airborne.

Barrie said design work, environmental review and permitting are underway. Construction is expected to take about three months, and county officials hope to finish the project by March 2027, before bird nesting season begins in the area.

Aguirre said the culvert work should be viewed as one piece of a much larger response. It will not stop sewage from entering the river, she said, but it is a practical step that local and state officials can take now to reduce the burden on residents who have endured years of pollution.

Original source: CalMatters

The post A small fix could make a big difference in Tijuana River pollution: When will it happen? appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

After completing a historic journey around the far side of the moon, the Artemis II crew is expected to return to Earth with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on the evening of April 10. The landing will cap a 10-day mission that has taken astronauts farther into space than any crew in more than 50 years.

According to NASA, splashdown is currently projected for about 5:07 p.m. Pacific time, though officials note that timing and exact positioning could shift as the spacecraft completes its final approach. The Orion capsule will reenter Earth’s atmosphere at extreme speeds, enduring intense heat before deploying parachutes and descending into the ocean.

That reentry phase is widely considered one of the most critical parts of the mission. The spacecraft must maintain precise control under intense conditions to ensure it lands safely within a designated recovery zone.

Once Orion touches down, a coordinated recovery operation will begin. Teams made up of NASA personnel and U.S. military members — including specially trained Navy divers — will secure the capsule and assist the astronauts as they exit. The crew, made up of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will then be transported by helicopter to the nearby USS John P. Murtha.

Medical teams aboard the ship will conduct initial health checks after the crew’s time in space before the astronauts are returned to land and eventually flown to Johnson Space Center in Houston for further evaluation and debriefing.

The mission launched April 1 from Kennedy Space Center and marks the first crewed test flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System. During the flight, the crew traveled around the moon, passing along its far side — a region never visible from Earth — and reached a distance that places them farther from Earth than any humans before them. Communication was briefly lost while the spacecraft moved behind the moon, a planned and expected part of the mission.

Although the splashdown will occur offshore, Southern California’s role is no coincidence. The region’s deep ties to aerospace and strong naval infrastructure make it an ideal location for recovery operations. Local interest has been building ahead of the event, with organizations like the San Diego Air and Space Museum preparing public viewing opportunities.

Artemis II represents a major step in NASA’s long-term plans to return humans to the moon and eventually send crews to Mars. The mission is designed to test the systems that future astronauts will rely on, with the next milestone — a crewed lunar landing — currently targeted for later this decade.

For residents along the Southern California coast, the mission’s return offers a rare chance to witness a pivotal moment in space exploration unfolding just beyond the horizon.

The post Artemis II Mission Set to End with Pacific Splashdown Off San Diego appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

San Diego Police Department officers responded to the 2400 block of Otay Center Drive at 1:14 p.m. Friday, where they learned the motorcyclist was traveling on Otay Center Drive on his 2020 Vento RY motorcycle when the driver of the Jeep struck him and drove away south, Officers Jose Perales said.

The motorcyclist suffered a fractured ankle and a dislocated shoulder and was taken to a hospital for treatment. His injuries are not considered life threatening, police said.

It is unknown whether alcohol was a factor in the collision.

The department’s Traffic Division is handling the investigation of the collision and anyone with information related to it was asked to call 858- 495-7800 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

The post Motorcyclist Injured In Hit-And-Run In San Diego appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The abnormal scarcity — compounded by the region’s long-running underproduction of housing — emerged when homeowners chose not to sell and give up pandemic-era mortgage rates. The so-called seller strike helped pushed home values to new records, despite rising borrowing costs.

Now the inventory picture might be changing.

“It’s getting a little bit better,” said Eneida Contreras, a Compass real estate agent who specializes in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

In April, the number of homes listed for sale in most Southern California counties rose from the same month a year earlier, according to data from Zillow.

Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties turned positive for the first time since the first half of 2023, each recording an increase of at least 5%.

Orange was the only county to see a decline, while in San Diego, inventory has risen for two consecutive months and is 18% above what it was a year ago.

To be sure, the availability of homes remains at historically low levels. But as it rises, it opens the possibility that prospective buyers will have an easier time making the largest purchase of their lives.

Jordan Levine, chief economist with the California Assn. of Realtors, said more homes are coming onto the market because owners are increasingly accepting that the new normal is interest rates in the 6%-7% range.

As people get married, divorced and have children, the “benefit of the low rate starts to be outweighed by having a house that doesn’t work,” Levine said. “Ultimately, these are people’s homes, too, and they are not just straight-up investments.”

Levine said he expects inventory levels to increase and home prices to be lower than they would have been if inventory continued to shrink. However, he and other experts said home prices are unlikely to decline. That’s because though more owners are coming to terms with high rates, many will likely choose to keep their sub-4% mortgages — a phenomenon known as the lock-in effect.

Other factors are at play. The economy is growing, and while most Southern California households can’t afford to buy, there’s a sizable population of techies, Hollywood types and other white-collar workers who can funnel excess cash into large down payments that offset high mortgage rates.

“The current level of inventory rise — which is a little bit, but not a lot — is likely to slow price appreciation but not turn it negative,” said Mike Simonsen, founder of Altos Research, a real estate data firm.

The rise in inventory is providing opportunities for buyers with means, but the market is still tough.

Interest rates are above 7%, and even if home prices rise at a slower pace, they will set records.

In Los Angeles County, the average home price in April was $890,516, an increase of 1.4% from March and surpassing the previous record, set in June 2022.

The six-county Southern California region climbed above its 2022 average home price record in March. It set another all-time high last month, reaching $875,388.

If mortgage rates noticeably decline, the lock-in effect could lessen and bring more homes onto the market. Falling mortgage rates would also immediately make housing more affordable.

Whether falling rates provide much relief is another question. Lower borrowing costs may bring a flood of additional buyers who quickly gobble up new listings and supercharge price growth.

“Building more housing is really what is going to break that cycle,” said Nicole Bachaud, a senior economist with Zillow.

According to the latest forecast from the Mortgage Bankers Assn., rates will remain high but will drop to 6.4% by the end of 2024.

Carol Otero of Rodeo Realty is among the Los Angeles agents seeing an increase in inventory. She estimated that the number of homes for sale in some San Fernando Valley neighborhoods has at least doubled in the past few weeks.

Buyers are eager.

Last Friday, Otero listed a four-bedroom home in Northridge. She said she has received six offers, all above the $869,000 asking price.

The post Buying a home in Southern California? There are now more options appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Over five years, the largest U.S. city on the Mexican border developed a well-oiled system to shelter asylum-seekers.

That system is being tested like never before as U.S. Customs and Border Protection releases migrants to the streets of California’s second-largest city because shelters are full. Since Sept. 13, about 13,000 have been dropped at transit stations with notices to appear in immigration court at their final destinations in the U.S., with about 500 more arriving daily.

Migrant aid groups blame a mix of circumstances for the shelter crunch: reduced government funding; CBP’s practice of sending migrants from Texas and Arizona to be processed in San Diego; and a surge in illegal crossings. Last week, President Joe Biden’s administration advanced plans for a border wall in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and said it would resume deportation flights to Venezuela.

Before they are released in San Diego, some migrants being dropped off have been waiting between a double-layer border wall or camping under Border Patrol watch in remote mountains east of the city. CBP closed a major pedestrian border crossing from Tijuana, Mexico, on Sept. 14 and assigned more officials to processing migrants.

“Many do not know where they are, that this is San Diego, this is (the) San Diego region, the nearest airport is San Diego and how to get to their final destination. That is what we’re trying to provide support with,” said Paulina Reyes-Perrariz, managing attorney for Immigrant Defenders Law Center’s cross-border initiative.

Illegal crossings topped a daily average of more than 8,000 last month after a lull following the start of new asylum restrictions in May had diminishing impact and people from dozens of countries, notably Venezuela, were drawn by prospects of jobs and safety.

Similar to other U.S. border cities, about 95% of migrants in San Diego quickly move to other parts of the country. That’s a sharp contrast to cities far from the border, such as New York and Chicago. But the constant churn of exhausted, disoriented migrants from more than 100 countries has created other strains that the San Diego County government calls “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”

Last week, after a community recreation center could no longer handle the flow of migrants, the Border Patrol resumed drop-offs at a transit center. Arrivals from China, India, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and many west African countries filled a parking lot to charge phones, eat, use the bathroom and wait for free shuttle buses to the airport. “Is California far from here?” an Eritrean man asked volunteers.

Shuttles were announced in Spanish and Arabic. Al Otro Lado, a group aiding migrants, is seeking volunteers who speak Russian, Pashto, Creole, French, Portuguese, Amharic, Hindi, Mandarin, Somali, Turkish and Vietnamese.

“It’s a brief moment of intervention before they can move on to be connected with their loved ones,” said Kate Clark, senior director for immigrant services at Jewish Family Service of San Diego.

Shelters still accommodate families with young children, members of the LGBTQ+ community, the elderly and medically frail. The drop-offs are largely for single adults.

Since 2018, Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Catholic Charities together have helped more than 430,000 migrants in the region.

But Catholic Charities of San Diego recently halved capacity at the two hotels where it houses migrants to about 800 people, who stay an average of less than two days, said CEO Vino Pajanor. “The major issue” is less federal funding as San Diego competes with New York and other cities for support to aid migrants, he said.

Jewish Family Service has maintained shelter capacity at about 950 at a hotel and another large facility.

CBP did not respond to questions about the drop-offs. The Department of Homeland Security said last month that it has given $790 million for migrant shelters this year and asked Congress for an additional $600 million.

Aid groups say government support is needed even for the services at the San Diego transit center parking lot, where migrants get travel advice from volunteers over the steady noise of railroad crossing bells and bus horns. County supervisors voted Tuesday to spend $3 million to to provide airport shuttles, internet connectivity, snacks and other basic services to migrants for three months.

The Border Patrol dropped off about 400 migrants by early afternoon one recent day as airport shuttles left about every hour. Overnight camping is prohibited. Migrants with flights within 24 hours are encouraged to wait at the airport.

The parking lot was a brief stop for Pedro Cardenas, 30, who was booked on a red-eye flight to Newark, New Jersey, after a grueling trip from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Smugglers squeezed about 14 migrants in a vehicle meant for five, forcing them to go hours without water or a bathroom break.

Cardenas, a mechanic on mining equipment, said violence and lack of work prompted him to leave his wife and child behind. He hopes to return with savings to buy land in Ecuador.

“I feel safer,” he said. “I feel happy but sad at the same time because I am not with my family.”

As night fell, volunteers at a church with room for 40 people sought to make sure no one would sleep on the streets. Rincon Marin, 26, arrived too late in the day for a flight to his final destination in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and accepted the church’s offer with a fellow Colombian who was headed to Columbus, Ohio.

“Happy, content,” Marin said to describe his feelings before rushing off to brush his teeth at a portable sink and squeeze into a car on his way to overnight lodging.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post US Border Patrol has released thousands of migrants on San Diego’s streets, taxing charities appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The sports rehabilitation clinic returns for the first time in person since 2019 after being held virtually in 2020 and 2021 to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The hands-on sporting event brings together more than 100 military Veterans from across the country who have a range of disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, polytrauma, spinal cord injury or loss of limb.

“Our goal is to motivate Veterans with disabilities to find new ways to adapt,” said National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic Director, Maggie Kremer. “The clinic is a training ground to instill the value of an active lifestyle, aid in community integration, develop determination and build a strong foundation to explore what’s next.”

Veterans battling back from injury receive instruction in sailing, surfing, adaptive fitness, kayaking and cycling to complement VA’s recreation therapy programs at facilities across the country. Veterans like David Martins, an Army Veteran from San Diego enjoy the competitive spirit, camaraderie and exercise.

“I’m looking forward to meeting fellow Veterans and learning more sports this summer,” Martins said. “VA’s adaptive sports events give me something to strive for instead of just working out alone in the gym.”

Founded in 2008 and now in its 15th year, VA hosts the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic in collaboration with the VA San Diego Healthcare System, Wounded Warrior Project, Veterans Canteen Service and dozens of other sponsors and community supporters.

For real-time stories, follow VA Adaptive Sports on social media @Sports4Vets Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post VA summer sports clinic for disabled Veterans returns to San Diego appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.