San Diego's Haitian community grapples with recent ICE arrests, end of TPS

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[upbeat music] Welcome in San Diego. It's Jade Hindman. On this episode of KPBS Midday Edition, a new report reveals more about toxic pollution in the Tijuana Watershed. This is KPBS Midday Edition, connecting our communities through conversation. [upbeat music] It's been one week since ICE a- ICE agents arrested a Haitian student near the San Diego City College campus. A student was driving when ICE agents stopped his car, arrested him, then pursued the passenger, also a student, who ran to campus for safety. Elected leaders, community members, and school officials have all condemned ICE's actions. It all comes after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to end temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants earlier this year. I'm joined now by Guerline Jozef. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. They're a San Diego based aid group that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies and supports Haitian immigrants and migrants and others. Guer- Guerline, uh, welcome. Welcome back to the show. So glad to have you here.

Thank you so much for having me.

It's, you know, it's been a week since the arrest happened. What was your immediate reaction when you first heard the news?

Just to clarify, uh, that specific arrest happened, uh, a week ago, but we have daily arrests across San Diego. San Diego has become the epicenter of what we call ICE kidnappings because they come in unmarked cars, and they literally surround, uh, people who are dropping their, their children at school, like they did, uh, two days ago, or students who are going to school, or people who are doing DoorDash. So that has become, uh, the epicenter of, of ICE kidnapping Haitians across the country. And right now San Diego is part of number one. Uh, so when that happened last y- last week was, "Here we go again." And that day we had reports of at least five others who were taken by ICE. Uh, a- and so that has become a, a part of the terror, the trauma, uh, and the psychological impact we see within the community here in San Diego and across the country.

I'm so glad that you added that context. And, and I'm curious what you're hearing from Haitian families about how this climate is affecting their daily lives, you know, including work, school, medical care, and, and whether they feel safe even leaving home.

They do not, uh, feel safe leaving home. As a matter of fact, we at the Haitian Bridge Alliance, as you mentioned, we are headquartered in San Diego, and we normally have our community gathering. 2, 3, 400 families will come and get legal advice, get the medical checkups, and also get the diaper, the milk, the groceries that they need in order for them to