Walking down East Main Street in El Cajon offers a vivid glimpse into the lives of diverse immigrant communities, reminiscent of Baghdad.
The Albaraka Halal Market teems with families shopping for groceries, while local barber shops and jewelry stores proudly display their services in Arabic.
Just a few steps away lies Taste of Damascus, a restaurant that tantalizes the senses with freshly baked bread and a traditional dish called kibbeh, a flavorful mix of bulgur wheat, minced meat, and spices.
Driving down Avocado Avenue into Spring Valley, visitors can discover Al Hamdani Sweets, an establishment run by an Iraqi-Chaldean couple who craft traditional Turkish and Iraqi desserts.
These businesses are a testament to San Diego’s vibrant refugee community, which has historically served as a sanctuary for individuals fleeing turmoil around the world, from Chaldeans in El Cajon to thousands of Somalis in City Heights.
San Diego has welcomed refugees for decades, with one of the earliest waves coming after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Over 50,000 Vietnamese refugees were temporarily housed in Camp Pendleton, where they could connect with resettlement agencies like the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help them find jobs, learn English, and secure permanent housing.
Apart from the IRC, San Diego County is home to three other resettlement agencies: Alliance for African Assistance, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, and Catholic Charities.
This collaboration has resulted in one of the most robust infrastructures for refugee assistance in California.
California’s appeal to refugees is bolstered by the possibility of qualifying for health insurance under Medi-Cal and other public programs, alongside its proximity to the world’s busiest migration corridor, making San Diego County a favorable destination for many.
Family connections also play a significant role in the settlement process.
The arrival of more Vietnamese refugees led to the establishment of “Little Saigon” in City Heights, creating a hub of culture, social interaction, and economic activity.
When the IRC began operations in 1975, they were equipped to handle the influx of thousands of Somalis fleeing civil unrest in the ‘80s and ‘90s, who later established their own community, dubbed “Little Mogadishu.”
Similarly, Chaldeans, a persecuted Christian minority from Northern Iraq, began arriving in El Cajon as early as the 1950s, where they built churches and businesses that served as community focal points, attracting further refugees.
Today, El Cajon hosts more than 15,000 Chaldeans, contributing to the rich tapestry of the area’s demographic landscape.
In the last two decades, the nationalities of refugees arriving in San Diego have diversified significantly.
County data reveals that over 9,600 refugees resettled in the region between 2020 and 2023, primarily hailing from countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, South Sudan, and Ukraine, all escaping political persecution.
Between 2010 and 2015 alone, around 2,700 refugees from 45 different countries settled in City Heights.
In 2014, California and San Diego County enacted a sanctuary law that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities, creating a sense of safety for refugees residing in immigrant-friendly cities such as San Diego.
Despite the support offered by various resettlement agencies and nonprofits, adjusting to life in the United States remains challenging for many refugees.
Language barriers can hinder job prospects, and educational qualifications from their home countries often do not transfer to the U.S. workforce.
A report by the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition identified significant challenges for refugee youth, including access to jobs, housing, transportation, and educational opportunities.
As the cost of living rises steeply across San Diego County, families are increasingly burdened by soaring expenses related to water bills, rent, and groceries.
According to a 2023 survey conducted by PANA (Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans), 61 percent of over 600 surveyed community members, many of whom are recent Afghan arrivals, reported earning less than San Diego County’s living wage of $20 per hour.
Ramah Awad, executive director of the Arab Community Center, Majdal, expressed concerns over the rising cost of living, stating, “I think there’s more of a question of what San Diego is doing to respond to the growing income gap.”
Today, more than 50 percent of refugees living in East County, particularly in El Cajon, report facing severely overcrowded living conditions.
Residents in these circumstances have been found to spend 2.6 times more of their paychecks on rent compared to their counterparts elsewhere, as indicated by PANA’s community survey.
The federal administration has contributed to a climate of uncertainty regarding refugee resettlement.
In his first week in office, President Donald Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and halted federal funding to resettlement agencies, forcing many programs in San Diego to scale back operations and seek alternative funding for new arrivals.
Anti-immigrant policies and increasing ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids have added to the fears that refugees face about their futures.
Diana Ross, executive director of nonprofit Mid-City CAN, noted the impact of federal policies on established refugee communities, saying, “While I see the established refugee communities really coming into their own and being an important part of San Diego, I see what’s happening at the federal level and I think it really does have a chilling effect.”
Despite these challenges, the foundational family and social networks within these communities suggest that refugees will continue to maintain a presence throughout the county.
Nevertheless, some refugees might need to evaluate whether staying in California amidst high living costs is feasible.
Notably, Afghan allies, who supported or worked for the U.S. military, still have pathways to enter the U.S. through special immigrant visas.
The Afghan Allies Safe Arrival Initiative, a coalition of privately funded organizations, has been proactive in relocating families to more affordable areas such as Arizona or Ohio.
However, since the beginning of this year, they have sponsored the arrival of 126 Afghans in California, making it their top destination for new arrivals.
For the refugees who have called San Diego home for decades, this moment presents an opportunity to assert their resilience and amplify their political voice.
Although fewer newcomers may be arriving due to recent federal restrictions, it could motivate existing communities to make their concerns more visible.
This movement is particularly evident in El Cajon, where residents gathered to advocate for refugees and immigrants at a recent City Council meeting.
A sizable crowd defended the state’s sanctuary law against a controversial resolution proposed by Republican Mayor Bill Wells, which aimed to assist federal immigration agencies.
While the city’s political landscape leans conservative, community pushback demonstrates a desire for a different direction.
“They [refugees] are stakeholders in our local community,” Awad remarked.
She emphasized the importance of restoring their political agency and viewing them not merely as recipients of aid but as valuable members of society.
image source from：voiceofsandiego
