San Diego

California Governor Discusses Millions in Border Aid During Visit to San Diego

California's new governor has proposed millions of dollars for a so-called immigration rapid response program. On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom was in San Diego meeting with elected officials and humanitarian aid leaders to discuss the plan.

Newsom’s proposed budget includes $25 million that would help organizations offering services to asylum seekers, including $5 million available this year to groups across the state.

"Providing beds, clothing, and health services, legal aid and travel arrangements to make sure those families connect with a loved one across the country as they wait to continue their asylum process," San Diego Rapid Response Network's Norma Chavez-Peterson said.

In November, he toured the Otay Mesa Immigration Detention Center and a temporary shelter for asylum seekers. Soon after that, Newsom described the activity along the U.S.-Mexico border as a "humanitarian crisis." 

He has stated that when the current agreement to provide the California National Guard along the border expires on March 31, he intends to withdraw the guard. 

In his first speech as governor, Newsom promised a "California for all." 

However, during his campaign for governor, the San Jose Mercury News reported on a city policy imposed by Newsom in July 2008 when he was mayor of San Francisco that reported undocumented young people arrested for felonies to federal immigration authorities. 

Immigrant advocates accused the Newsom campaign of attempting to rewrite history, the paper reported. 

The governor is set to meet with Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, San Diego County Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Greg Cox, City Councilmember Chris Ward, and Jewish Family Service and ACLU of San Diego.

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