In September 2023 the Board of Supervisors of San Diego County unanimously declared a State of Emergency in recognition of the fact that the situation at the border had become unmanageable. Recent reports published by Department of Homeland Security illustrate the extent to which CBP officials have been overwhelmed by the volume of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The mass releases have typically been a measure of last resort when agents don’t have the holding capacity or personnel to process migrants using standard procedures. As a consequence, hundreds of migrants rely on the generosity of volunteers and donors for basic needs of food, shelter and clothing. In December alone, the Border Patrol dropped 43,000 migrants on the streets of SanDiego. Although about 85% of this population are in transit, thousands will remain in the county. Women and children are particularly vulnerable.