JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KGTV) — Migrants continue to gather in Jacumba, hoping to be processed by Border Patrol and make a claim for asylum. For several weeks now, they've made makeshift campsites with help from local organizations and volunteers who brought them food and water.
The group is made up of men, women and children, and the camps vary in size. According to the group Border Kindness, the number of migrants gathered in the area can range from 150 to 800 people on any given day.
Local organizations, including Border Kindness, say they’ve been forced to step in and help, claiming government agencies like Border Patrol provide little to no supplies for the migrants. Volunteers say not only are people arriving hungry, but some are also getting sick.
"We’ve had people that have been unconscious, bodies seized up, people going through seizures, people with spinal injuries from falls," says James Cordero, the director of water drops for Border Kindness.
On Thursday, some migrants told ABC 10News anonymously they were told it would be easy for them to enter the U.S. Some admitted they paid to get into the country, but they were not willing to disclose the amount.
Close to sunset, volunteers from a number of organizations arrived to bring water, food and clothing for the migrants staying the night. This was one of several supply drops that happened during the day.
The migrants relayed to ABC 10News they were told by CBP agents they couldn't leave the area unless they wanted to go back to Mexico.
Migrants had different colored wristbands tracking what day they arrived in the area.
ABC 10News reached out to Customs and Border Protection for comment on the situation, and they sent us the following statement:
We remain vigilant and expect to see fluctuations in migration patterns, knowing that smugglers continue to use misinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals. CBP is executing its operational plans and working to decompress areas along the southwest border. We are safely and efficiently vetting and processing migrants to place them in immigration enforcement proceedings consistent with our laws and operational planning efforts. Those without a legal basis to stay will be processed for removal and face consequences that include a minimum five-year bar on re-entry, loss of eligibility to access lawful pathways, and prosecution for repeat offenders. Migrants are urged not to place their lives in the hands of smugglers whose only priority is profit.
Organizations helping the migrants say they need the government's help and don't know how long they can continue providing aid without additional resources. If you want to help, visit Border Kindness or Al Otro Lado.
