SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – Immigration activists gathered Monday to speak out about what they call a ‘humanitarian crisis’ in San Diego County.
The Immigration Justice League (IJL) is demanding that the county work with the Office of Emergency Services and declare San Diego County to be in crisis. They say the lives of innocent children are at risk.
They are also demanding that the Board of Supervisors put a plan and resources in place to take care of all those living on the streets.
The activists say they hold the County Board of Supervisors responsible for allowing this humanitarian and health crisis to continue unchecked, including those who have been allowed to enter the country legally to seek asylum, who they say continue to suffer horrendous conditions at ICE detention facilities located in cities near the U.S.-Mexican border and San Diego County.
“For the last few months, ICE has been dumping by the hundreds those released while awaiting hearings into the streets of San Diego and surrounding communities, with no food, and no directions as to where to go for help. It is the local charitable community and hundreds of volunteers that continue to do all they can to find these scared, cold, and in many cases sick detainees, provide them shelter, food, showers, clean clothing, needed medications, and means of transportation to relatives and friends that live in the U.S,” IJL said.
According to the IJL, the humanitarian and health crisis, coupled with the increasing population of homeless individuals living on the streets of San Diego County has prompted them to call out the County Board and request that a State of Emergency be declared immediately.
Immigrant Justice League speak out against 'humanitarian crisis' in San Diego County. Jan. 7, 2019.