Naturopathic Doctor in Dulzura, CA

Facility will house migrants, serve as control center for enforcement

An artist rendering of the new Dulzura Border Patrol facility slated to open in September 2024. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Border Patrol

January 20, 2024 (Dulzura, CA) – A new $74 million U.S. Border Patrol station has begun construction and is slated to open in Dulzura next year, spokesperson Michael Scappechio said in an emailed statement this week.

“This new station will provide CBP law enforcement personnel with much-needed facilities, technologies, and other infrastructure carefully designed to meet the demands and challenges of an ever-evolving border environment,” Scappechio wrote.

The station will be used to process and house migrants short-term, as well as serve as a control center for border patrol enforcement activities. The facility sits on an approximately 9-acre plot of land and will include a helipad for air support, fuel stations, and dog kennels.

Its location in the southeast region of San Diego is key to the U.S. efforts to manage migrants seeking asylum and illegal immigration in the region. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported it encountered 18,952 migrants along the San Diego border region in December 2023, an increase of 28% from the previous year of just 13,624. For the year, San Diego Border Patrol encounters rose 24% from 176,290 in 2022 to 230,941 in 2023.

Dulzura sits about 10-miles from the U.S.-Mexico border and is just north of Marron Valley, a common entry point for migrants, where the Tijuana river snakes in and out of the two countries and provides water and foliage for the journey.

“A significant portion of the [border patrol’s] encounters occurred within the station’s area of operation,” Scappechio pointed out.

But even this new facility may not be enough to manage the influx of migrants. East County Magazine reported last year that there was a lack of humanitarian aid and care for migrants camped out in desert towns along the border. In Jacumba Springs, for example, migrants camped out under the shelter of bushes and were not provided water or facilities as the desert heat scorched the region. Border Patrol were forced to send buses to transport people to the nearest processing stations.

“CBP officers and agents prioritize the health and safety of all those they encounter by providing appropriate medical care and humanitarian assistance as needed and by routinely coordinating with emergency medical services to assist individuals in need,” noted Scappechio.

The new facility will bring approximately 400 Border Patrol officers and personnel to the small city, which had a population listed as 769 in the 2021 US Census.

In a 2017 Jamul – Dulzura Community Planning Group meeting, the Border Patrol’s Brown Station Community Liaison Officer Ryan Magnuson stated the facility would generate additional daily traffic of approximately 50 people arriving and leaving the property in three 10-hour shifts each day. During the meeting local residents voiced concern about this increase, notably resident Mr. Sirimanne who said wildlife had disappeared already, which he attributed to traffic that already existed.

In response to the community’s concern about traffic, Scappechio notes improvements will be made to accommodate for the increased cars.

“Highway 94 will be widened near the station main entrance to accommodate a center turn lane, allowing for smoother traffic flow,” he said. “A deceleration lane and acceleration lane will also be added to allow for safe entry and exit from the main entrance,” he added.

Other concerns brought about by the community have been addressed too, he related, saying the facility will have its own water treatment facility, which is currently under construction now.

Asked how the Border Patrol, and this new facility, will address the humanitarian crisis seen along the border, Scappechio listed a series of actions the agency has made in response. Actions include prioritizing the most vulnerable migrants and transporting them from inclement weather first, constructing soft-sided outfitting facilities to process migrants, and increasing the number of data entry specialists, Border Patrol processing coordinators, contract security officers, medical professionals, and childcare and other service providers who operate at CBP processing facilities.

“The agency continues to surge personnel, transportation, processing, and humanitarian resources to the most active and arduous areas throughout San Diego’s border region where migrants are callously placed by for-profit smuggling organizations, often without proper preparation,” he commented.

Scappechio is quick to note the ever changing migrant circumstances are driven by the coyotes guiding illegal immigrants across the border.

“Shifts in migration patterns or increases in irregular migration are affected by shifts in the behavior of for-profit smuggling organizations and by global events,” he said.

But whatever the circumstance, the Border Patrol strives to meet the demand.

“CBP is leveraging all available resources and partnerships to efficiently vet and process migrants consistent with law,” he says.

SOURCES

May, K. (2024, January 3). New Border Patrol Facility [Personal communication].

Mejias-Pascoe, S. (2023). How a new 400-person Border Patrol station could transform a historic San Diego town.https://inewsource.org/2023/12/14/new-border-patrol-station-san-diego-historic-town-dulzura/(link is external)

Person, R. (2023a). IN U.S. BORDER TOWN - STEADY STREAM OF MIGRANTS CONTINUES. East County Magazine.https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/us-border-town-steady-stream-migrants-continues

Person, R. (2023b). JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS COMMUNITY STUNNED BY ARRIVAL OF HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS - SEEKS DONATIONS. East County Magazine.https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/jacumba-hot-springs-community-stunned-arrival-hundreds-migrants-seeks-donations

Point2. (2021). Dulrura, CA Demographics. Point2.https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/CA/Dulzura-Demographics.html#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20population%20of%20Dulzura%3F&text=There%20are%20769%20residents%20in,males%20and%2056.44%25%20are%20females.(link is external)

Scappechio, M. (2024, January 5). ** Interview Request ** [Personal communication].

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2024). Immigration Enforcement and Legal Processes Montly Tables—September 2023.https://www.dhs.gov/ohss/topics/immigration/enforcement-and-legal-processes-monthly-tables(link is external)

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Grant Spotts’ family came to Dulzura in the 1880s, searching for water and a home in the rural southeast San Diego County community.

After nearly 150 years, the well on their property continues to deliver.

But around them, Dulzura has transformed in other ways, said Spotts, who owns and operates Dulzura Vineyard & Winery on his family’s land.

“It used to be that you barely saw a truck,” he said. “But things change.”

Once peaceful, starry night skies have become less so. State Route 94, formerly a stage coach road connecting San Diego to Arizona, has become a congested commuter highway. The bustle and drum of the city has slowly crept into Dulzura, whose name translates to “sweetness” in Spanish.

Now, though, something is coming that could quicken the pace of those changes and threaten the country town’s idyllic character.

The U.S. Border Patrol is building a new station in Dulzura, and it’s bringing with it a significant footprint. It will staff up to 400 employees and house up to 130 detainees. Features include a helipad, fuel island, car washing station and dog kennels. And it will serve as the command and control center for a vast surveillance network covering San Diego’s border region.

The new Brown Field Station will replace an aging station in Otay Mesa and provide “much-needed facilities, technologies, and other infrastructure,” a CBP spokesperson said in an email.

It’s a trade-off for residents. Though they have mixed feelings about the project and how it could change their small town’s way of life, they want and appreciate having Border Patrol in the community.

Only 10 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, Dulzura is often the first town migrants encounter in a dayslong journey after crossing into the country through a large gap in the border wall. Residents see Border Patrol as a necessary response to undocumented migration.

Many of Border Patrol’s more than 230,000 encounters in the San Diego Sector in 2023 happened in the enforcement zone containing Dulzura.

The station represents an often overlooked consequence of increasing immigration enforcement: how the expansion of that enforcement changes the look and feel of communities across the U.S.

“We’re not gonna be Dulzura anymore,” said Lance Hafen, who owns Valentina Vineyards and Winery, and whose grapes grow on several acres of land adjacent to the new station.

“We’re gonna be Brown Field Border Patrol Station, because it’s gonna change the feel and everything in the community.”

The new station is set to be completed in June 2024, four years behind schedule.

“As CBP moves toward completion of the new station, it will continue to strive for a facility that supports effective border security while balancing the needs of the surrounding border community,” the spokesperson said.

Read the full article on inewsource.org.

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Tagged: border, Border Patrol, Brown Field Border Patrol Station, Dulzura, inewsource, migrants, Route 94, rural, wineries

Grant Spotts’ family came to Dulzura in the 1880s, searching for water and a home in the rural southeast San Diego County community.

After nearly 150 years, the well on their property continues to deliver.

But around them, Dulzura has transformed in other ways, said Spotts, who owns and operates Dulzura Vineyard & Winery on his family’s land.

“It used to be that you barely saw a truck,” he said. “But things change.”Once peaceful, starry night skies have become less so. State Route 94, formerly a stagecoach road connecting San Diego to Arizona, has become a congested commuter highway. The bustle and drum of the city has slowly crept into Dulzura, whose name translates to “sweetness” in Spanish.

Now, though, something is coming that could quicken the pace of those changes and threaten the country town’s idyllic character.

The U.S. Border Patrol is building a new station in Dulzura, and it’s bringing with it a significant footprint. It will staff up to 400 employees and house up to 130 detainees. Features include a helipad, fuel island, car washing station and dog kennels. And it will serve as the command and control center for a vast surveillance network covering San Diego’s border region.

The new Brown Field Station will replace an aging station in Otay Mesa and provide “much-needed facilities, technologies, and other infrastructure,” a CBP spokesperson said in an email.

It’s a trade-off for residents. Though they have mixed feelings about the project and how it could change their small town’s way of life, they want and appreciate having Border Patrol in the community.

Only 10 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, Dulzura is often the first town migrants encounter in a dayslong journey after crossing into the country through a large gap in the border wall.

Residents see Border Patrol as a necessary response to undocumented migration.

Many of Border Patrol’s more than 230,000 encounters in the San Diego Sector in 2023 happened in the enforcement zone containing Dulzura.

The station represents an often overlooked consequence of increasing immigration enforcement: how the expansion of that enforcement changes the look and feel of communities across the U.S.

“We’re not gonna be Dulzura anymore,” said Lance Hafen, who owns Valentina Vineyards and Winery, and whose grapes grow on several acres of land adjacent to the new station. “We’re gonna be Brown Field Border Patrol Station, because it's gonna change the feel and everything in the community.”

The new station is set to be completed in June 2024, four years behind schedule.

“As CBP moves toward completion of the new station, it will continue to strive for a facility that supports effective border security while balancing the needs of the surrounding border community,” the spokesperson said.

A ‘surprise’ to residents

At the site of the new station, heavy machinery grinds away. A tan and green building stands in the center of the rolling hills, surrounded by metal storage containers, chain link fencing and orange construction cones.

A half-mile up the road, the town center rests on a short but winding stretch of the 94. In the afternoons, residents stop by the smallest post office in southern California to pick up their mail, chat with neighbors or grab a drink from the mini market on their way back home.

Residents are mostly optimistic about the new station, even though they’ve raised concerns for years as federal officials moved forward with the project.

First discussed at a community planning meeting in 2017, locals cited possible congestion on the 94, light and noise pollution and increased demand on groundwater systems, which feed the private wells that are Dulzura residents’ sole source of drinking water. They also said there waslittle notice given to residents.

But the federal government had already purchased the land — about 120 acres — the year before for $650,000 from a private property owner.

“It was a surprise. They didn’t announce it to nobody here in the community. They didn’t bring it up to the community at all,” said José Hernandez, owner of the Dulzura Mini Market in the center of town. “They just bought the property and then they started developing their buildings back there.”

CBP did not respond to residents’ specific concerns but said the agency “complied with all governing rules and regulations to include periods of public notice and review.”

Locals say the 94 has transformed from a little country road into a rush hour nightmare in recent years. The road, with its narrow, winding lanes, has a reputation for being dangerous, too.

There’s a saying among residents in communities nestled in the area: “Pray for me — I drive Highway 94.”

Residents worry more cars on the road could mean more congestion and more accidents.

The California Department of Transportation is requiring CBP to make safety changes to the roadway directly in front of the station, including acceleration and deceleration lanes and a dedicated left turn lane for the eastbound 94.

A well study conducted by CBP found the station’s demand for water — nearly 4,300 gallons per day — would “have little long term impact on the aquifer.” Over five years, in the worst-case scenario, the aquifer would drop 45 feet, or 5.8%, the agency reported.

Paul Dierkop, a well drilling expert in San Diego County who's been in the business for 30 years, said the water demand from the station is reasonable, adding that agriculture has a much higher demand.

Residents also wonder how noise and light pollution and the physical footprint of the station could affect Dulzura’s quiet character and wildlife. The construction site was previously an agricultural preserve home to threatened or endangered plant and animal life.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife deemed the site to be of “very high” conservation value for its positioning – surrounded on nearly all sides by nature preserves and managed wildlife areas.

The land was once subject to several local and state policies aimed at protecting natural resources, including the California Land Conservation Act. But that regulation was nullified when the federal government bought the property, according to the environmental report.

And CBP determined the station would fall in line with several more county-level policies for rural and agricultural land preservation and wetland protection.

A welcome presence

A less noticeable impact of the station has wider-reaching implications.

The new Brown Field Station will house the command and control center for a vast network of surveillance equipment spanning San Diego’s coastline and border region, according to planning documents.

CBP’s newest surveillance towers are equipped with radar and capable of infrared and video recording. They are controlled by artificial intelligence to identify moving objects and track them as they move throughout a region.

Migrants from all over the world frequently cross into the U.S. through Marron Valley, a hilly, shrub-filled region on the border directly south of Dulzura. Traces of human travel — discarded clothes, a diaper, empty water bottles, a passport — litter the ground along a dirt road leading from the wall into town.

But, the surveillance technology will capture more than just migrants crossing into the country, according to Dave Maass, director of investigations at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy nonprofit.

“There are going to be these cameras that are capturing vehicles and people and anybody hiking down there, driving down there, people living down there, as well as border crossers,” Maass said.

On a Saturday afternoon in December, a family of five Peruvians, including two young children, sat on a clearing along the dirt road near the border.

They said they wanted to turn themselves in but had already been walking for days. They hoped Border Patrol agents would find them.

One woman in the group asked: “¿A qué hora viene la migra?” What time does Border Patrol come?

Residents have complained of migrants passing through their properties at night, sometimes damaging fences and water pipes or leaving behind trash and waste.

Though they said those run-ins happen less often now, they’re still concerned when they do happen and feel Border Patrol has been responsive to those concerns.

Hernandez, who owns the mini market, says migrants sometimes come by the store, buy food or water and continue on their way.

He’s among those looking forward to the new station. It could mean more business at the mini market, where Border Patrol agents already are among his most frequent customers, next to sheriff’s deputies and fire personnel.

From that side of town, one can hardly see the new station. To others, though, the station’s footprint is already showing. From the Dulzura Winery tasting room, an industrial communications tower at the Border Patrol station peeks above the trees, standing against an otherwise natural skyline.

It bothers Spotts, though he, too, is in favor of the station. He said change in Dulzura is inevitable, and they would be “overrun” without the Border Patrol. But he hopes the agency can paint the tower sky blue.

“Could they have chosen a better site?” he asks. “I don't know, probably could've.”

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The Border 32 Fire has forced evacuations and prompted road closures.

Kristina Houck, Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Sep 1, 2022 at 9:34 am PT

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — A wildfire blackened hundreds of acres, destroyed at least one structure, forced evacuations and prompted road closures Wednesday in rural eastern San Diego County.

The blaze sparked around 2:15 p.m. off Barrett Lake Road and state Route 94 in the Barrett Junction area, southeast of Dulzura, according to Cal Fire San Diego. By 5 p.m., the fire, which officials called the Border 32 Fire, had spread 1,400 acres and destroyed one structure.

As of 10 p.m., the fire had scorched 4,243 acres and was 5 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.

"The fire continues to threaten the communities of Dulzura, Potrero and Campo," county spokesperson Chuck Westerheide said. "Multiple agencies remain on scene fighting the fire and protecting homes."

Evacuations were ordered for the Barrett Lake Road area, Coyote Holler Road area and Round Potrero Road near Potrero and Dulzura, according to the county. View an interactive map of the evacuation area.

Find out what's happening in San Diegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"This is an evacuation order; an evacuation order requires immediate movement out of the affected area due to an imminent threat to life," Westerheide said. "If you need emergency assistance with evacuation, call 911."

More than 400 San Diego Gas & Electric customers in the area near the blaze were without power, according to the county. SDG&E reported the outage at 8 p.m. and said the fire damaged the electric system.

Schools in the Jamul-Dulzura Union and Mountain Empire Unified school districts will be closed on Thursday due to the fire, the San Diego County Office of Education announced.

The Tecate Port of Entry was closed due to the fire, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. SR-94 was also shut down between Forrest Gate Road in Campo and Otay Lakes Road in Dulzura. Barrett School Road was closed at SR-94.

Temporary evacuation points were established at Jamul Casino at 14145 Campo Road in Jamul and Camp Lockett Event and Equestrian Facility at 799 Forrest Gate Road in Campo.

An overnight evacuation shelter opened at Mountain Empire High School at 3305 Buckman Springs Road in Pine Valley. Evacuees with large animals were instructed to go to San Diego County Department of Animal Services at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita. The San Diego Humane Society was helping with small animal and pet evacuations at Mountain Empire High School.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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Recreational Opportunities

Hours: The reserve is only open for special events.

Activities: wildlife viewing

NOTE: Visitors are responsible for knowing and complying with all regulations pertaining to the use of Department lands.

Refer to the Public Uses on State and Federal Lands section of the Waterfowl, Upland Game, and Public Use Regulations (PDF) booklet for both statewide and property-specific regulations.

You may not operate a drone on CDFW Lands without a Special Use Permit.

Area History

Historically, Rancho Jamul has been used by the Kumayaay Indians for thousands of years for forage and living purposes, Spanish missionaries for grazing land (using the Kumeyaay Indians for labor), then owned by a series of private individuals, most notably Pio Pico, the last Mexican Governor of California.

For additional information on the early history of the area, please visit the following links:

Prior to acquisition by CDFW, the property was used for farming and livestock grazing by the well-known Daley Family of San Diego. The Department purchased the property in phases between 1998 and 2001 to conserve sensitive habitat and species in seven vegetation communities including chaparral, oak woodland, and freshwater marsh. The property was designated as an ecological reserve by the Fish and Game Commission in August of 2000.

In October/November of 2003, three of the worst fires in California history engulfed southern California. The Otay Fire burned approximately 80% of the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve. In 2007 the Harris Fire burned portions of Rancho Jamul.

It will take several years for the vegetation to regenerate. A restoration project over a portion of the reserve and nearby Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area was initiated in 2013 with funding from a grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board, Resources Legacy Fund and the San Diego Public Utilities Department. Over a three year period, River Partners, with the help of The California Conservation Corps, will plant native trees and shrub species along Jamul and Dulzura creeks to restore riparian, oak woodland and upland habitats.

Conservation

Restoration of the riparian areas of Jamul and Dulzura Creeks is the largest of the projects being pursued on the reserve through the mitigation bank established by Wildlands, Inc. This bank is providing up to 250 acres of created wetlands habitat and mitigation opportunity for wetlands lost elsewhere in this general vicinity.

Grassland restoration is proposed through controlled burning, exotic plant control, and seeding, with a one-acre pilot project started in the northern part of the reserve. Native grassland remnants will provide the seed source for further efforts. These efforts are expected to be extremely long-term because of difficulty in controlling non-native grasses.

Control of exotic plants is a major part of the conservation efforts on the reserve, as part of restoration as well as general efforts to remove noxious weeds and highly invasive species.

Augmentation projects are planned to expand existing oak woodland and riparian areas degraded by past ranching and farming on the property. Volunteers will assist with planting trees and removing fences to allow for greater wildlife movement. Water projects are planned to guard against extreme drought conditions and expand available habitat for species.

A variety of conservation biology research is conducted on the reserve in partnership with CDFW. Some of the partners include: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, Conservation Biology Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and San Diego's Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. The Earth Discovery Institutes assists in outreach and educational services.

Monitoring of habitats and sensitive species is being done by Department biologists as well as several contract biologists. In addition, there are several graduate students working on projects, including habitat quality and species home range studies.

Species

Many species are both sensitive and covered by the MSCP, and are monitored to observe overall area population trends.

Plants: coast live oak, Otay tarplant, San Diego thornmint, San Diego sunflower, Palmer’s ericameria

Butterflies: Quino checkerspot, Hermes copper

Raptors: northern harrier, peregrine falcon, prairie falcon, merlin, golden eagle, burrowing owl, white-tailed kite, and red-tailed hawk.

Other Birds: grasshopper sparrow, least Bell's vireo, California gnatcatchers, California rufous-crowned sparrow

Herpetofauna: coast horned lizard, orange-throated whiptail, western skink, western patch-nosed snake, two-striped gartersnake, red diamond rattlesnake and western spadefoot toad

Mammals: southern mule deer, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, San Diego black tailed jackrabbit, numerous small mammals, and 12 species of bats

Species Lists (PDF):