A video circulating on social media captured the arrival of a boat carrying individuals believed to be illegal immigrants in Newport Beach, California.
The video, posted on X by @OCLiberator, captured the moment when approximately 20 people hurriedly disembarked from the crowded vessel as it docked at a small pier in Newport Bay.
California is a sanctuary state, where law enforcement officers are prohibited from arresting or detaining migrants who enter the country illegally.
Migrants used the boat to unlawfully enter the US in the most recent audacious endeavor to bypass border security.
According to Sheriff Don Barnes, maritime smuggling incidents in California have significantly increased, rising from 308 in 2020 to 736 last year. Authorities are urging revisions in state and federal laws to grant them enhanced authority in preventing smugglers from reaching land.
Will O’Neill, a former Newport Beach mayor and current city councilor, said he and the sheriff hold California’s’ sanctuary state’ policy responsible. The ex-mayor said that the situation at the nation’s border is a matter of great concern, characterized by a lack of order and potential risks. According to O’Neill, the approaches adopted by the administrations in DC and Sacramento have only exacerbated the situation.
In recent weeks, the San Diego sector, which covers a significant portion of the Southern California border with Mexico, excluding El Centro and Calexico, has seen an influx of 6,000 to 8,000 immigrants. Due to the heavy influx of migrants entering the country through Southern California, they have to be released by US Border Patrol are being released onto the streets. A few months ago, the county migrant shelter closed due to the decision of local leaders unwilling to allocate the necessary $18 million per year to sustain its operations.
Due to the absence of a local shelter, border patrol releases migrants either at a transit station or at the airport. Recently, the airport has become a significant source of frustration, as many of them are choosing to travel to different areas of the country, which poses a challenge for the San Diego tourist community.
