San Diego International Airport is now serving as an impromptu shelter for a soaring number of migrants, shedding light on the hundreds finding refuge on chilly terrazzo floors and cramped terminal seats each night. Photos and video footage capturing the palpable discomfort of these impromptu tenants underscore a reality far removed from the typical bustle of holiday travelers with overstuffed bags and neck pillows, as reported by FOX 5.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Joel Velasco Salazar and his two friends from Ecuador, without blankets or even the solace of a warm meal due to closed concession stands, represent but a few of the over 100 migrants huddling for sleep in the airport terminals nightly over the past week, their presence a harsh testament to their rugged journey, having been processed by Border Patrol after their treacherous journey, they seek to reunite with friends and family in various U.S. locales, but often they find themselves with either hours to spare or days ahead of their schduled departures.
Local aid organizations have been thrust into action, and volunteers like Roni Elias of the group We All We Got are on the scene delivering the basics to ease this transient existence. Elias told FOX 5, “We would initially make just about 50 sandwiches, 50 meal packs for people. But then, we realized that was not enough," revealing the group handed out meal packs to 308 people in a single night last week. Children and families are prevalent among these groups, adding layers of concern for these volunteers who scramble to provide even the most rudimentary comforts.
The Immigrant Defenders Law Center noted at least 220 migrants found respite at the airport one recent night, and with talks of going from "30 to 40 migrants sleeping at the airport each night to around 60 but then higher in the last few weeks," as We All We Got volunteer Krystle Johnson said in a Union-Tribune interview, the numbers are rising precipitously; it's not just a place of transition anymore, but the airport has nearly become a de facto welcome center due to the sheer volume of weary travelers.
