JACUMBA, Calif. (KGTV) — Clouds rolled over Jacumba as hundreds of asylum seekers prepared for another cold night in the desert on Thursday.
“It’s very windy and rainy," a migrant from China told 10News. "It was very cold, and we all slept wearing our winter coats and hats.”
Upon approaching the campsite, the migrants built small fires using nearby branches. The puffs of smoke from the wood brought warmth in near-freezing conditions. Volunteers brought them food and water, but the migrants said it was not enough.
“If we got a big storm, it would be a catastrophic event," said John Schultz, a volunteer. "There’d be mass hypothermia, things like that.”
Their only shelter was a makeshift tent made of tarps, blankets, and some wooden pallets in the back for support.
Immigrant rights groups are raising the alarm. Last week, they filed a second complaint with the Department of Homeland Security, claiming border patrol officers have forced asylum seekers to remain in these open-air sites in the Jacumba desert. They say this leaves the migrants without adequate access to water, food, sanitation, medical care, or shelter.
“We are the only source of food, water, shelter, blankets, and medical care that these people are relying upon," Schultz said. "The U.S. government hasn’t given them anything.”
Schultz has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for resources to support the migrants.
