OTAY MESA, San Diego — The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security visited San Diego Wednesday as part of a tour of the southwest border. Chad Wolf met with agents and officers at San Ysidro and viewed construction of the border wall by helicopter.
“These are our frontline operators that are keeping the homeland safe. They don’t have the opportunity to telework,” said Wolf of the people who work in his agency.
Wolf said one of the primary reasons he visited San Diego, as well as Nogales, Arizona on Tuesday, was to observe and hear about "the challenges of our frontline officers in the COVID environment," he told reporters Wednesday afternoon at the San Diego U.S. Coast Guard station.
Both Mexico and the United States are restricting border crossings for essential travel only. Traffic at ports of entry in the San Diego area are down, but, in many cases, those crossing are not asked to verify their purpose for traveling and do not have their temperature checked.
Executives at Sharp and Scripps wrote federal officials asking them to implement additional measures at the border to help curb the virus’ spread, according to a letter obtained by News 8. Wolf said he met with local leaders who reiterated the need for additional assistance.
South Bay hospitals continue to see more coronavirus cases. Some are Americans who live in Baja California and have returned to the U.S. for care. Sharp and Scripps encouraged Customs and Border Protection to take temperatures of border crossings and mandate quarantines for those suspected of having the virus.
“You could start taking temperatures of everyone at points of entry -- all pedestrians and you’ll backup lines and create more issues than you’re trying to resolve,” said Wolf, who added the agency is still reviewing the idea.
Border Patrol is still catching people who cross into the United States illegally. In many cases, they are returned within hours of being apprehended to reduce potential exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19). However, some are still detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.
Wolf said, nationwide, ICE has released approximately 900 seniors or people with underlying health conditions. Facilities are operating at 70 to 75% of their capacity to help with social distancing.
"In a pandemic environment, it is not realistic, nor is it safe, or secure to keep migrants in border patrol facilities for long periods of time," Wolf said.
However, while Wolf said a sizable portion of the medically vulnerable population has been released, "what we're not going to do is we're not going to release all of the detainees in our care."
The agency reported Wednesday there were 149 inmates and 11 staff at the Otay Mesa Detention Center who have tested positive for the virus, representing 15% of all inmate cases and 25% of all employee cases nationwide.
“We’ve stopped intake into those [Otay and another] detention facilities and are addressing those as best we can,” said Wolf.
During the pandemic, Border Patrol has continued patrols and checkpoints on local roads. Agents say since October 1, 2019, they have seized nearly 2,000 pounds of methamphetamine, a 7% increase over a year ago, including several drug seizures during the pandemic. Homeland Security credited the border wall construction with helping to funnel illegal activity to staffed ports of entry, which makes it easier to find.
“The cartels are always looking to take advantage of any type of situation that we have,” said Wolf. “As we put up an effective border wall system, we’re going to see their tactics and procedures change.”
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a pair of class-action lawsuits calling for the release of both ICE and U.S. Marshals Service detainees housed there due to what it alleges are unsafe conditions for those most likely to die or suffer serious illness should they contract COVID-19.
While a San Diego federal judge approved the release of some medically vulnerable ICE detainees, he denied the same request for a group of medically vulnerable detainees in criminal custody.