Yessenia Echevarria, community organizer and founder of Paso People’s Action, created a #NotCampRoberts caravan and rally on May 16 in which several community members gathered at the San Miguel Mission and drove to Camp Roberts to oppose the facility’s possible use as temporary housing for unaccompanied migrant children from the U.S./Mexico border.
“There’s a lot of mystery, and it’s unclear what’s going to happen with the children,” Echevarria said.
She said the group is firmly against detained children and the mistreatment of children in these facilities. Echevarria referred to recent reports of continued poor conditions at a Customs and Border Protection temporary overflow facility in Donna, Texas.
“I understand [the impact on facilities] is why the children are moved around. But the more you move them around, the more it creates trauma for them. Children need stability. They have already been through so much trauma that bringing them onto a military base is not adequate,” she said.
The group called on local leaders and legislators to be more transparent about this process and what this facility would potentially provide for the children. On May 7, Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin sent out a press release stating that in a teleconference meeting with federal officials he was told as many as 5,000 unaccompanied migrant children could be processed at Camp Roberts.
“I expressed concerns about the impacts on local traffic, medical services, educational services, and housing. I was told that, if children were transported to Camp Roberts, they would not arrive all at one time, but in groups of a few hundred. I was also reassured medical and educational services would be handled on-base and would not impact local agencies,” Martin said in the press release.
The mayor said he also expressed concerns about the needs of staff coming from out of the area and informed officials about the already tight housing market and the city’s reliance on local hotels for the tourism trade.
New Times reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for comment. The agency said it “will notify state and local officials well in advance of opening any temporary site. We have no other information to share at this time.”
Camp Roberts is one of several facilities in California being considered as temporary housing for migrant children. The Long Beach Convention Center began housing unaccompanied migrant children on April 22.
According to an HHS press release, children who stay at the convention center, temporarily called the Long Beach Emergency Intake Site, receive a medical check and are provided needed clothing, toiletries, food and snacks, as well as a safe place to rest. The site is slated to provide shelter for girls 17 and younger and boys 12 and younger.
The site has a 1,000 bed capacity, including medical isolation, and will temporarily house children until Aug. 1.
After an outpouring of community support, the Long Beach Community Foundation created the Migrant Children Support Fund to accept monetary donations meant to provide grants to organizations that will provide educational and play time for the children during their stay and gift cards to assist the children as they are reunited with their families. Δ
This article appears in Pride 2021.
I wonder how many SLO voters are rethinking their vote for Biden, now that our county has become Ground Zero for the wave of illegals that he has let in? It was predictable because it is what he promised during the election. Elections have consequences.
WTF? Rethinking our vote for Biden because the world now knows children will no longer be caged at the border? At least Biden recognizes the problems that are driving humans northward. The former idiot in the White House was happy to abandon the children to predators. Biden is showing mercy, like Jesus said.
Hi John,
Yes, elections have consequences. Before you throw Biden under the never-ending-immigration -crisis bus that the US has not addressed well in over twenty, if not more, years, after four months in office, after four years of hate, lies, corruption and sloth emanating from the WH, take a few hours to really ponder the last four and a half years … then, reconsider your question. If you still think its reasonable, you might go look in a mirror.
@Mercy and justice: The minors are still “caged”. Have you seen the facilities at Camp Roberts they have prepared for them? They are ringed with razor wire. Are Democratic cages better than Republican cages? Biden and his “open border” platform just predictably encouraged more of them to head North since they could. be assured of being let in.
@rd: Trump at least slowed down illegal immigration, instead of encouraging it.. How many illegals will die while traveling here because of the Democrat’s “bait” of promised admission? Liberal policies are predictably disastrous and cruel,even though they may feel good to you. Can you look in the mirror without seeing the faces of those you have lured to an early death?
If We, as Americans, are going to accept responsibility for individuals of any age traveling across other countries to line up at our borders sending minor children on alone to seek shelter, perhaps it is time to focus on the problems these migrants leave behind and reunite families instead of merely sheltering minors in makeshift locations.
If you have not noticed, the problem of migrants is worldwide and not easily solved. The countries individuals leave need help solving their problems.
Gov’t aid does not help. The other gov’ts are often corrupt using aid to further disrupt the lives of their citizens.
Non Gov’t Organizations that deal directly with individuals in need are the best way to bring peace and stability to a country at peril. Support those you can. If it is to be, it is up to thee and me.
The solution to our porous borders is pretty obvious. Register all legal citizens and create a nation citizenship data bank, so there is no doubt about who is here legally, and who is here illegally. Next, BUILD THE WALL, and fortify the border with enough security to prevent illegal mobs, drug and human traffickers, and parentless children to cross into our country.
Next, mandate the use of E Verify for ALL employment, so illegal aliens could not get a job in our country, and actively seek them out for deportation. Do not allow any level of government to give taxpayer-funded handouts to illegals, and do not allow them access to our schools, hospitals and government social services. Fund ICE adequately and allow them to do their job, stop politicians from enacting ‘Sanctuary City’ policies and end fraudulent programs like DACA, stop taxpayer abuse.
America is an immigrant nation and we already allow over ONE MILLION legal immigrants to come here. To be sure, immigrants have added to the greatness of our country, but it is also true that we are a nation of laws, and NO ONE should be allowed to transgress our democratically-constructed laws, for whatever reason. We must stop this abuse of our borders and retain American sovereignty. Legal immigration yes, illegal immigration no. If anyone is found crossing illegally, then they are forever prohibited from gaining legal US citizenship.
Problem Solved.
It’s a very tough and confounding problem but one thing is certain, Joe Biden is handling this much better than his predecessor would have. Joe Biden has a conscience and is a seasoned administrator. Thank God for Joe Biden. More power to him. Long live Joe Biden. Prayers and good wishes to all the immigrants who are struggling to find a safe home in this often inhospitable world. Let’s send thoughts of peace and love to all those children as well as to all those who are serving them during this troubled time.
The one certain thing is that Joe Biden has proven himself to be ‘all hat and no cattle’, he has utterly failed in his constitutional duties to defend and protect our borders, and his partisan idealogical pandering has now resulted in the worst border crisis in American history. He purposely changed the Trump-era policies that had seen us gain control on the border because he and the other whacky liberals have ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’, and they could not stand to leave well enough alone.
Biden’s disastrous border policy has now resulted in anonymous, parentless children now crossing into America without protection, increased human and drug trafficking, and increased calls for amnesty and citizenship for illegals and other lawbreakers. Biden and his whacky liberal friends have shown they are not fit to lead, and we deserve a president who is in touch with reality. In an effort to dodge accountability, he has ordered Kaymala Harris to ovoid press conferences, and now one has to wonder if the Alt. Left is dedicated to a free press?
In other foreign policy gaffes, Joe Biden has insulted our ally Israel, and emboldened the Arab terrorists like Hamas and The Taliban, his foreign policy has weakened America and emboldened the dictators in China and Russia. Iran has restarted their nuclear weapons development program, and Biden has lessoned trademark and patent protections on some of our most important biomedical products produced by American pharmaceuticals. Leadership?
Abandon Democrats in 2024.
Joe Biden is doing a good job as president and deserves the support of all those who wish to maintain democracy in the United States in the years ahead.
The Republicans have proven to be so clueless that they were not even able to present a party platform during the previous presidential election. Thats ridiculous.
They seem to have no plan, and so many of them simply complain and have no productive or practical solutions to the serious challenges that face our nation.
Its wonderful to now have a President who cherishes democracy and is optimistic and inspiring as he leads our country. And its nice to see that his popularity remains so remarkably high in our nation and throughout the world. Joe Biden is a president worth supporting by everyone who cherishes democracy and honesty and selfless service.
It is interesting that so many Vladimir Putin inspired propagandists are using Central Coast media to try to undermine the efforts of Joe Biden and all those who truly care about preserving peace and democracy on the central coast and in the United States.
Nevertheless, the United States still has so much goodness to share within its borders and beyond. Disregard all those people who continually try to breed fear, hate and division in our community. They will not prevail. They never do. We are better than that.
Although some of our partisan trolls may want to sweep the Biden administrations misdeeds under the table, it has been commonly reported in the press that these illegal alien immigrant children are being sexually abused while being held in forced detention. Under Biden, these same children were held in cages, and now they are being kept in armed military bases under 24/7 watch. Where is the accountability? Where is the transparency?
Worse, our Alt. Left whacky liberal friends, who feigned false outrage when the previous administration did the same thing, are now nowhere to be found with their phony political banter, and it just reveals their weak character and misguided priorities. They used the children as pawns in an election year, but, now that they are in power, they do not raise one concern about these children BECAUSE THEY NEVER TRULY CARED ABOUT THESE KIDS IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Get it? The whacky liberal Democrat Party only sees a political calculation in these issues, it couldnt care less about the actual children. To them, its all about power and optics, once again they are revealed as hypocrites and worse. Biden showed a lack of leadership by appointing the inexperienced Kamala Harris to be in charge of the current border crisis, and she refuses to answer questions or to be transparent about exactly what is happening with these children. The reports that are being snuck out of the camps are not good: overcrowded conditions, unscreened adults accessing these minor youth, no education being offered and questionable access to health care. Send these children home to their parents!
Clearly Biden and Harris are in over their heads, and they are proving it is easier to run a political campaign that it is to successfully govern a country. Lets face it, they are failing miserably in their job. 🙁
Return children to their parents
Stop child sexual abuse
No Biden child cages
Demand accountability & transparency
Build the Wall/support ICE
Stop parentless child caravans
End Illegal Immigration: E-Verify ALL Jobs
Stop taxpayer abuse
Abandon Democrats in 2022/2024
Deport Illegal aliens!
End Sanctuary City/State
Love, peace and compassion. Those are the signs that we are on the right path. Those are the sentiments we find in leaders who deserve to be leaders. Disregard those who push for hatred, division and fear of our neighbors and visitors. It’s interesting that members of the community are getting a clear choice on which path to take. It’s like there’s an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other whispering into our ear. Some of us will gladly follow the voice of love, compassion and peace.
A clear choice can be made between…
Whacky leftist BLM- inspired hatred vs. Respect for Law & Order.
Leftist Oil Production/Pipeline Shutdowns vs.American Energy Independence.
Alt. Left Urban Antifa Anarchy vs. Traditional American Values of Peaceful Protest.
Liberal Misguided Gun Control vs. tough on gun criminals sentencing policies.
Democrat Border Chaos vs. Support for ICE & Rule-of-Law.
Liberal Late term abortions vs. Sanctity of life policies: not one chose to die.
Democrat Weak-on-crime vs Rules-based orderly society.
Whacky Left Hwy. 101 Shutdown vs. Constitution Free Speech, Right to Peaceful Protest.
Leftist Heroes Tianna Arrata/Edward Zamora Guillon vs Mainstream Heroes Luca Benedetti & Steve Orozco.
Whacky Left Court-Packing Schemes vs. Judicial Integrity & judicial independence.
Democrat Party High Taxes vs. Lean, Austere, Disciplined Government.
Facilitated Public Homelessness vs. Self Reliance & Self Respect.
College Dropout Heidi Harmon vs. Graduate-Degree Jordan Cunningham.
Blaming Fraudulent ‘Systemic Racism’ vs. Personal Responsibility and Hard Work.
Encourage Illegal Immigration vs. Build the Wall Law Enforcement.
Leftist Support for Arab Terrorism & Hamas Terrorist vs. Support for Free and Democratic Israel.
Grievance Culture & Woke Indifference vs. Support for Multicultural American Values.
Get it? The left has a dark prescription for America’s decline, and anyone who believes in American exceptionalism must abandon Democrat Party ‘Plantation Politics’, we cannot afford to fail.
Love thy neighbor. May all our actions be guided by our heart; let not your ego be thy master.
Hello, we are from the Government, and we’re here to help…
The answer is to give the children food and water at the border, then send them back. Give no aid to anyone arriving here illegally. No financial, no shelter, no medical. Food and water and BACK YOU GO! That is all the compassion that you should have for a criminal refugee, be they children or no. If rightturd or any of the other folks want they can petition to adopt some of the kids, without government subsidy. If we no longer accept anyone in without proper protocols being followed, they will not come. If we vociferously chase them down for deportation, they will leave. Build the wall, put up the closed until further notice sign. OR you could put up razor wire and have armed national guard troops keep them out…oh that’s right! That only applies to us actual citizens to keep us away from our “duly elected” leadership. Sorry, my bad!