Two school bus routes in Southern California were interrupted this week as several illegal immigrants attempted to board the buses filled with children.
According to the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District in San Diego County, the incident occurred near the intersection of Highway 94 and Cochera.
In a letter addressed to parents on Tuesday, Superintendent Liz Bystedt said that three illegal immigrants were walking in the middle of the highway, attempting to stop a school bus, which had to maneuver around them.
At the same bus stop on Wednesday morning, around 20 illegal immigrants charged toward a bus as it was picking up students from the same location.
Fox5 San Diego reported that the bus driver made sure that no illegal immigrants entered the bus, according to parents present at the time.
Nicole Cardinale witnessed the incident. She told the outlet that her eight-year-old son’s bus was affected. She described it as a “very scary” situation.
“He said these adults – they weren’t kids – had backpacks on and they were trying to get on [his bus]… He said there was a lot of them,” Cardinale said.
Bystedt said to ensure “the safety of students and bus drivers,” buses will now avoid stops with illegal immigrants nearby.
“Please stay [vigilant] and if the bus drives by, please follow the bus to pick up your child at the next stop,” she told parents.
The reason behind the illegal immigrants attempting to board the buses is unknown. Immigration rights advocate informed Fox 5 that the area’s mountainous terrain along with the heat could create a desperate response.
The school district notified U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office about the incident.
“The San Diego Sheriff’s Office was made aware of this incident today,” Kimberly King with the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “We are conducting a follow up investigation to determine if a criminal act has occurred. The Sheriff’s Office takes issues regarding student safety very seriously and are working with the school district in order to keep the students and our community safe.”
In April, San Diego emerged as the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, according to U.S. data. Many illegal immigrants consider San Diego the safest and most straightforward crossing point, the Daily Mail reports. They frequently monitor their phones for messages, social media updates, and calls to guide their route and crossing plans.
San Diego faces unique migration challenges due to the diverse countries of origin for illegal immigrants, such as India, Jamaica, Georgia, Egypt and Vietnam. Deportation for these nationalities can be expensive and complex to arrange.
In contrast, Mexicans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans, who have more accessible and frequent deportation options, are less prevalent in this area compared to other parts of the border.
