Local law enforcement said individuals did not attempt to board two San Diego-area school buses last week, contradicting previous news reports that alluded to undocumented immigrants trying to illegally access the vehicles with students on board.
On Aug. 28, Jamul-Dulzura Union School District, which serves a 163-square-mile area east of San Diego and about 20 miles northwest of Tecate, Mexico, released a statement stating that the incidents involved people that local media identified as 20 migrants, either trying to stop or board a bus at a bus stop.
But in responding to questions posed by School Transportation News, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office shared a different scenario on Friday.
“The Sheriff’s Office spoke to several individuals who witnessed the two incidents and based off what was shared, it appears that while several individuals approached the bus, there never appeared to be any intent to forcefully try to stop or enter the school buses, therefore no crime was committed,” a spokesperson said via email.
“At no point and time did anyone other than the students enter a bus, or even get close to entering a bus,” the spokesperson continued. “It is not uncommon for community volunteers and charitable organizations to provide resources in these parts of the county, some of which operate vehicles similar to school buses.”
The Sheriff’s Office noted that deputies have provided extra patrol on school bus routes since Thursday iof last week, and its recognized the concern from the community. It has been working alongside the district to provide reassurance to the families.
“Impacted families have received formal communication from Jamul-Dulzura Union School District that captures the latest on the incidents that occurred this week, as well as our collaborative work to keep the communities safe,” the spokesperson stated.
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The New York Post reported that last Tuesday that at least three migrants walked in the middle of a highway in an effort to stop a bus, which was forced to go around them. The next day, about 20 individuals reportedly tried get on a bus at the same stop off the highway, as students were boarding the bus for school. The article states that Superintendent Liz Bystedt ordered all bus drivers to skip over stops where migrants were known to frequent.
