Officials in California are looking for medical and border security assistance from the Trump administration as the number of COVID-19 cases in northern Mexico surges, with many nationals crossing into the U.S. hoping to receive medical attention.
As of May 2, Mexico had confirmed more than 22,000 COVID-19 cases in its country, which has made two high-level California officials request help from the Trump administration.
San Diego County’s Third District Supervisor, Kristin Gaspar – a vociferous opponent of California’s dangerous sanctuary laws – sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence asking for “assistance with a growing concern south of our border” as “hospitals in Chula Vista, California [are]now seeing a sudden influx of critically ill patients from Mexico.”
President and CEO Chris D. Van Gorder of Scripps Health, a nonprofit healthcare system based in San Diego, California, also sent a letter to Trump administration officials stating that “the threat south of the border” is impacting medical supplies and attention in the region. The letter was sent to Secretary of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Alex Azar and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf.
The call for additional assistance in response to COVID-19 positive Mexican nationals in California is ironic as officials in the state have incentivized illegal immigration for decades.
The state’s sanctuary policies, which shield illegal aliens from deportation, and its desire to treat illegal aliens the same as U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants, has made it a desirable location for illegal aliens. In fact, California has the largest illegal alien population of any state, costing California taxpayers more than $23 billion annually.
Its policies that reward and protect illegal aliens are likely contributing to the increase in Mexican nationals arriving amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Just recently, state and city officials in California approved granting tens of millions of dollars to illegal aliens facing economic hardship resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.
Gov. Gavin Newsom approved sending $75 million from the state’s budget to provide direct assistance to some 150,000 illegal aliens. An additional $50 million will come from private philanthropic sponsors. This means $125 million will be granted to illegal aliens in the state. Each qualifying illegal alien will receive at least $500, with households eligible to receive $1,000.
At a local level, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti approved pre-paid debit cards to residents hurt financially by the COVID-19 outbreak regardless of their immigration status. The “Angeleno Cards” will range from $700 to $1,500 depending on the income and size of the household.
With state and local officials now asking for help to stem the flow of migrants from Mexico, California may finally be on its way in understanding that uncontrolled, mass migration (especially during a global pandemic), is simply not sustainable. Funding and resources are finite (especially in times of crises) and must be prioritized for citizens and law-abiding immigrants.