SAN DIEGO — With Title 42 coming to an end this week, local leaders are preparing for an increase in migrants and refugees in San Diego County. But they admit there are still a lot of questions they can't answer. “We don't know where we are right now with the numbers and what's going to happen,” Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas said Wednesday afternoon.
Vargas spoke with reporters to share details on how the county is getting ready. She says there’s been a lot of collaboration to ensure we’re prepared to keep everyone safe. “County medical authorities are working with the federal and state authorities to monitor the capacity to provide the medical screenings that migrants need to have adequately,” she said.
Shelters will also open around the county, funded partly by a $35 million investment from the federal government to help local charities provide temporary housing and services. “What I want to make sure we emphasize is that this is a different county than before,” Vargas said. “We, as a county, understand that this is a federal issue, and we need to make sure there is a response from the federal government.
CBS 8's Jesse Pagan sat down with El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells for what he expects of officials and the city of El Cajon ahead of Title 42 ending.
The concern is "street releases" - where shelters are so full that people entering the country are dropped at spots around town with nowhere to go. But Chairwoman Vargas is optimistic that it won't be as big of an issue as it's been in the past. “The majority of the asylum seekers have a destination already, and so it's the processing that has to take place so they can reach their final destination intact,” she said.
She also believes opening new regional processing centers in Central and South American countries will help reduce the number of asylum seekers that need to enter our county. “What this means and why this is so important is because it's intended to reduce the number of people coming to our borders,” Vargas said.
She also says she's been in communication with leaders from cities around the county to make sure there's collaboration. Ensure everything possible is being done to make this as positive of an experience as possible. “It's important for me as the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to remind folks that we are a welcoming county, and we're going to do everything we can to ensure that everyone here is treated with respect and dignity.”
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