San Diego County to create welcome center for immigrants and refugees, first in North County
Article by Emily Alvarenga | Read full article in the San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego County will create a second welcome center for immigrants and refugees settling in the region, after supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with the plan amid a recent influx of migrants.
It will be the first such county facility in North County, where officials say immigrant and refugee assistance is most needed. Nearly 23 percent of San Diego County residents were immigrants or foreign-born as of 2021, and nearly two-thirds of those lived in North County, Census data shows.
“This is about making sure the County is bridging the gap to meet the needs of our diverse communities,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “These services help make people more self-sufficient, which ultimately helps our entire region succeed.”
The funds for the center were awarded to the county through the Local Immigrant Integration and Inclusion grant — an initiative by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to provide $8.2 million in one-time funding to support the state’s immigrant populations.