Thread: Migrants evicted again

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Migrants evicted again


Developers pushing illegal inhabitants, their chapel, off land set to become new neighborhood
By Elena Gaona
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
August 13, 2006

In what may seem like déjà vu, people living in migrant camps in McGonigle Canyon will be ordered to move soon.

It will be the latest attempt to clear people living in illegal huts from the undeveloped land between Carmel Valley and Rancho Peñasquitos, an area that is shrinking as it gives way to new houses.






HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
An estimated 300 people live in McGonigle Canyon, many of whom attend a makeshift Catholic church. The residents face eviction later this month.
An outdoor chapel with a small stucco altar, pews and a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe that has served canyon residents for more than 15 years probably will be torn down.
This eviction, officials say, could be the last.

“This is an ongoing situation,” said Pam Hardy, spokeswoman for Scott Peters, the San Diego City Council president who is spearheading the current plan to clear the camps. “We hope a coordinated effort this time is successful.”

Peters' office is working with police and at least six landowners in McGonigle Canyon to post no-trespassing signs within 30 days – the date has not been officially set – and begin enforcing them, Hardy said. The landowners include a trust under the name Robert Barczewski, developers Pardee Homes and DR Horton, the city of San Diego, the Poway Unified School District and a group using the name Horseshoe Investors.

Two years ago, camps were removed from the Barczewski and Pardee properties, Hardy said, only to have them to crop up on the DR Horton land, a more interior parcel. That's why Peters contacted all the landowners this time, Hardy said.

Environmental and public health concerns are prompting this latest effort, Hardy said, as well as “increasingly hostile relations between supporters of migrants and opponents of illegal immigration.”

Many of the men living in the canyon are undocumented, though not all, police say. Immigration agents will not be present when the no-trespassing signs are first enforced, said Capt. Jim Collins of the San Diego Police Department's Northeast Division.

An encounter last month between Minutemen and their supporters and a mobile health clinic that visits the camp to treat workers was described by police as a pushing and shouting match that led to no injuries or arrests. But people on both sides said they felt threatened, and men in the camps say they are often harassed by Minutemen filming there.




HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
Residents of a migrant camp in McGonigle Canyon attended Mass at their makeshift chapel, which along with the migrants, faces eviction from the canyon.
At least two documentary filmmakers from Los Angeles – one a self-described Minuteman supporter, the other who says he wants to document “the Third World living conditions” in the camps – have spent months filming, too. They describe scenes ranging from men living in huts with snakes and rodents to encampments littered with beer cans and condoms.
Nearby residents say condoms found at the camp are evidence of prostitution. Collins said there is no evidence of prostitution or human trafficking at the camp, but said police are still gathering information.

Meanwhile, community groups that offer supplies and medical and spiritual services for the migrant workers say they will follow the men . . . again.

Encampments in McGonigle Canyon grew from a small collection of crude huts for male migrant workers in the late 1980s to a vibrant mini-village also housing women and children by the early 1990s. It was complete with a store, restaurant, political factions which disputed leadership in elections and police problems including domestic abuse. In 1993, there was even a wedding that included a cake and pink and white streamers.

But by 1994, city officials began working with landowners to shut down the enclave because it had grown so large and was considered out of control. About 750 people, including entire families, were moved into apartments, and the camps faded from public view.

Today, as many as 300 people, mostly men, are living in McGonigle Canyon again. There are also a few families, those familiar with the camps say.

Their shelters remain basic, sometimes boxy structures resembling tiny sheds made from scraps of wood or plastic. Often home is just plastic sheeting propped up by trees.

As housing developments spring up around them, the workers' shelters have grown smaller and less conspicuous, said Enrique Morones,director of Border Angels, a group looking for housing for canyon residents. But men still bathe, do laundry and drink out of streams that flow along the canyon floor.




Not far from the camps, a small outdoor chapel that was built by the workers in the early days survives at the base of the canyon near a gurgling stream. Mass is held there on Sundays, usually by a priest from the nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Rancho Peñasquitos.
Last Sunday, a crowd of more than 60 men and members of the church gathered for the service in the tiny structure, hidden among the canyon's trees. Church leaders told the men that the days are numbered for the camps in McGonigle, and suggested they move to others farther from public view because there is no available housing.

Church leaders also announced that the chapel, which survived the first big eviction, is scheduled to be dismantled this time. Thelandowner may allow the small structure to stay longer than the camps, Hardy said, or could allow church members time to dismantle it themselves, she said. Church leaders are still holding out hope that it could be remain on the property.

As news of the chapel being closed was announced Aug. 6, votive candles flickered before the image of the Virgin, representing prayers that she will help secure steady jobs, safe families and strong bodies.

“We are the pilgrim church that he founded . . . Our friend Jesus will guide us,” the men sang over the noise of the nearby creek.

Farmworker Jose Antonio Espildora, 17, has lived in the canyon for a year because he cannot afford rent, he said. He's on the verge of completing his First Communion, he said, and has made friends at the Sunday services. He's not worried about moving, he said, as long as he completes receiving the sacrament.

Church leaders tried to comfort the workers.

“All of us are the church, and we move with the church,” community leader Jose Gonzalez told them in the Mixtec language.

After the service, the men were served food, given medical treatment by volunteers and offered small tents to prepare them for their move.

“Maybe these will help you survive,” said Christauria Welland, who has been organizing Mass and other events at the camp for about 14 years.

Over the years, dozens of church volunteers have helped at the chapel. Welland has been godmother to children and young men completing their sacraments there.

“A church is a community,” Welland said. “The place means a lot to me. It's wonderful to see people interact. We share the same faith.”

Police say they are working with the nonprofit group Border Angels to find housing for the men. Morones, the human rights activist who heads the group, said Border Angels has been talking to church and other nonprofit groups to find places, but so far without any success.

At a recent community meeting, Council President Peters told Rancho Peñasquitos residents that the city has hit a roadblock in finding housing, too. The mostly federal affordable-housing money available for families in 1994 has dried up.

Sharon Johnson, Homeless Services Administrator for San Diego, said the city could apply for a $3 million state grant to build farmworker housing. The operational costs for such housing would still be unfunded, though, and there is a larger problem: no place to build.

Johnson said the city owns property in the canyon that was considered for farmworker housing. Five locations were scouted, but each had problems, she said, including land that was not scheduled to remain in agricultural use, an American Indian burial ground, a parcel with no public access and a parcel that included land earmarked for wetlands preservation. The active search is over.

“This is one of those times when it just didn't come together,” Johnson said.

At least one resident of McGonigle Canyon is planning to move before the no-trespassing signs go up.

“There isn't much work,” said Romulo Muñoz, 41, from Oaxaca. If he can't afford to rent an apartment soon, he said, “I'm thinking of moving back to Mexico.”

"There isn't much work, I'm think of moving back to Mexico." Woohoo!

He might as well, they now have Ford, GM, Levi's, Molina, etc.!

What about "illegal" don't you understand?

See my sig.

Scott Peters, San Diego City Councilman and illegal alien loving traitor to America has plans to get funding from the Feds to build homes for the illegals living in the canyons at a rate of $5 a day or even FREE. Do you know of any Americans who would be given living quarters at taxpayer expense for $5 a day? I didn't think so.



He wants to apply for a grant of $3 million to build housing for the illegals so they wouldn't have to become homeless. Uh, how about returning them to their home countries and let them build them housing for $5 a day. Friggin' moronic traitor.

From San Diego's KFMB-760 AM radio's Rick Robert's website:

Making an appearance on News 8 this morning Councilman “I want to give illegals housing” Scott Peters was asked about his idiotic idea of providing shelter to illegals in a city where someone who makes six figures can’t afford a house.

We have the audio of what he said… but here are a few facts you need to know before you listen his spin.

The Rick Roberts Show, Phil Thalheimer, and Andy Ramirez broke the story of the illegal encampments in Rancho Penasquitos.

We broke the story almost a year ago. Where was Scott Peters then?

Peters says in the interview that the housing would be for “legals.”

Scott, Scott, Scott…. How damn dumb do you think we are?

If they were here ‘legally,’ I seriously doubt they would secretly be living in a canyon preserve.

Maybe Scott is hoping that once he dangles “free housing” in front of them they will change their status?

Well, that takes us back to the original and bigger problem. WHY GIVE THEM ANYTHING AT ALL?

NO ONE GAVE ME A FREE HOUSE AND I’VE BEEN LEGAL AND SUPPORTING THIS COUNTRY ALL OF MY LIFE!

Hey Scott…here’s an idea…Why don’t you work on getting the illegals sent back to Mexico like the law states, and start building nice free houses for our brave military men and women who are willing to lay down their lives for this country.

Here is the fundamental problem most of us have with your idea Scott.

You want to keep the canyons safe from fires being started, so do we.

You want to keep women and children in Penasquitos safe, so do we.

You think it’s inhumane for them to live in the canyons… we don’t care. If it was so bad, they wouldn’t be there.

But you want to reward lawbreaking, border crossing, fire-starting, illegals WITH HOUSING!

We want you to clean up the canyons and DEPORT THEM.

Scott , how long do you think until it become public knowledge in Mexico that we in San Diego have free housing for them?

You, City Councilman Scott Peters, are encouraging people to cross our border by giving them this incentive.

And that’s just wrong.

Liten to this treasonous idiot's interview: http://www.760kfmb.com/asx/2006/03/scott_peters.asx

Immigration agents will not be present when the no-trespassing signs are first enforced, said Capt. Jim Collins of the San Diego Police Department's Northeast Division.

Many of the men living in the canyon are undocumented, though not all, police say. Immigration agents will not be present when the no-trespassing signs are first enforced, said Capt. Jim Collins of the San Diego Police Department's Northeast Division.

This just doesn't make any logical sense. They say many of the men living in the canyon are undocumented (illegal), but yet the have no plans to have immigration agents present when the no-trespassing signs are enforced. I'm sorry, but this stuff just isn't making any sense anymore!