SAN DIEGO — Over the past few days, hundreds of migrants have been left stranded at San Diego bus stations by Customs and Border Protection officers, according to local activists. Those activists also think the drop-offs are politically motivated, which leaves people seeking asylum caught in the middle.
Tuesday, the Supreme Court decided to keep pandemic-era limits on asylum in place for now, dashing hopes of migrants who have been fleeing violence and inequality in Latin America and elsewhere to reach the United States.
The ruling preserves a major Trump-era policy that was scheduled to expire under a judge's order on Dec. 21. The case will be argued in February and a stay imposed last week by Chief Justice John Roberts will remain in place until the justices make a decision.
Meanwhile, a thousand migrants were dropped off at El Cajon, Oceanside and the City of San Diego transit centers last week. Monday night CBS 8 noticed over a dozen being loaded onto another bus from the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
While migrant drop-offs are not uncommon, San Diego activists say the frequent amount of migrants recently being left at bus stations is what's concerning.
With only 200 Mexican pesos to his name, Francisco Goya, a Columbian migrant who for months had been waiting in Tijuana for asylum, was finally thrilled to hear that he was granted asylum and was let into the U.S. from the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Goya says that’s where he and dozens of others were loaded onto a bus and dropped off at the El Cajon transit center by Customs and Border Patrol earlier on Tuesday.
While many migrants feel fortunate to make it into the U.S., activists say migrants are being left stranded at drop-off locations with no support or resources and are blaming The Department of Homeland Security for the lack of support.
“It exposes them and it puts them at risk of people who are seeking to exploit them,” said Pedro Rios, an immigration activist.
He says the frequent drop-offs carrying a multitude of migrants to a location with no resources only shows the unfair treatment migrants experience. Rios also believes there could be political motivations.
“The department of homeland security has done a better job in the past. We see the efficiency that it has to support Ukrainian migrants," said Rios, adding that it's unfortunate that the Biden Administration in its two years of being in the White House did not develop a plan to ensure that at the end of Title 42, migrants could be welcome with dignity.
CBS 8 reached out to CBP to ask why more migrants than usual are being dropped off. They have yet to respond to our request for an interview.
Watch Related: Thousands of migrants arriving at U.S. border daily ahead of Title 42 expiration (Dec 15, 2022)