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By Rebecca Person
Photos by R. Person and Noah Miller
October 10, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- What began as a trickle of migrant activity at the Mexican border outside small towns in the farthest corner of east San Diego County has surged to a humanitarian crisis - a river, a deluge of hundreds of border crossings here daily. The scene has mirrored and surpassed the crisis last May, when the towns of Jacumba Hot Springs and Boulevard felt a sudden wave of migrants when Title 42 was lifted and Title 8 returned.
Those changes allowed migrants to apply for asylum. But for those not able to qualify for asylum, crossing the border can lead to formal deportation back to one’s country of origin and possible criminal prosecution if the person makes a second entry within five years.
Humanitarian groups such as Border Kindness have joined local resident volunteers and some church groups to bring a steady supply of donations - bottled water, blankets, jackets and tarps to migrants camped along the border fence. Also sandwiches, especially the peanut butter kind.
Border crossers, including men, women and children, face uncertainty and disappointment, delays and harsh weather. Sometimes everybody doesn’t get a bottle of water, or a sandwich. But when the supplies do come, the gifts are received with thanks in many different languages. Many coun
tries are represented here - India, Japan, China, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela, Afghanistan.
"You are
an angel," a Colombian man declares warmly to the volunteer who has just handed out over 300 sandwiches and bottles of water to a hungry crowd. The language barrier is broached with smiles and nods of thanks.
Sam Schultz, local resident, and his family have been leading the volunteer efforts. He reports the response to the peanut butter sandwiches, served any time of day, has been "joyful." That is the power of love and a peanut butter sandwich.
An abandoned Youth Center in the town of Jacumba Hot Springs has become the staging area for the growing border crisis. Donations come in the form of cases of bottled water, crates of already assembled and wrapped sandwiches, cases of canned food with pop-top lids, multiple jars of peanut butter, jams and jellies in all flavors, and honey, and dozens of loaves of bread.
Volunteers arrive in waves, to assemble and bag more sandwiches on site; locals with sturdy vehicles that can negotiate the rugged dirt roads leading to the border encampments deliver the water and food from their tailgates to several migrant camps each day. Some hot meals are served out at the camps, even at midnight, so no one’s left hungry.
Getting by on little sleep while the number of migrant groups grows, the volunteers muster strength to meet the needs; it’s an emotionally draining scenario. Tears come at times, the situation is hard for everyone. Marcela Rivera, volunteer from Imperial CA, has been active in helping get supplies to the stranded migrants. She says, "We are completely exhausted and drained, but it’s hard not to think of the humans who are left out there in those conditions without any food, water or shelter for days."
More and more help is arriving, but also more migrants daily.
And then there’s these guys.
People are encouraged to donate items such as bread, peanut butter, jelly and bottled water. Jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts are especially needed, as well as boots and warm shoes, tarps, blankets and socks. (Tents are not allowed for security reasons,and children's clothing is not needed at this time.)
Sam Schultz can be reached for directions to the Youth Center in Jacumba 619/ 679-2707. Venmo account Gabrielle-Schultz-12 is where to direct monetary gifts, as well as to Border Kindness www.borderkindness.org
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