Helping those at the San Diego Convention Center

Over the last several weeks, we’ve started to see heartbreaking photos coming from our southern border. Families and unaccompanied minors, shoulder to shoulder, stuck in limbo hoping to get to the United States. This crisis hit home Tuesday, March 23, as it was announced that the San Diego County Convention Center would temporarily house over a thousand unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the United States.

Over the past few months, the crisis at the border has been worsened by new policies at the federal level. Nonetheless, it is heartbreaking to see the new images circulating, especially for the unaccompanied children. While I’m supportive of helping those in need, the county, once again, is forced to step up and put a Band-Aid on a much more severe problem and the federal government needs to find a solution.

I will closely monitor to make sure the federal government covers all costs associated with these efforts. It should not come at the expense of local San Diego County tax dollars. It’s also a priority that these efforts don’t take away from COVID-19 response, vaccination and health care efforts for our region. And, I will advocate strongly for protection of the safety and health of San Diegans from the influx of people crossing the border.

I am very concerned for the public health of greater San Diego, by allowing thousands into our region during a pandemic. We still have too many San Diegans unemployed and a large homeless population that needs our help. We need to stay focused on the region’s pressing issues and not get sidetracked dealing with the failings of the federal government.