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Camp Roberts to house up to 20,000 migrant children during drought

May 4, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

Amid drought conditions and concerns of water shortages, the Department of Health and Human Services has received permission to temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children at Camp Roberts in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.

Initially, 1,500 children were to be housed in barracks. Now, there are plans for a maximum of 20,000 children to be sheltered in either military-style tents or trailers for up to four years, according to several sources who have asked to remain anonymous. Several thousand caregivers and other support workers would add to the total number housed at the base.

The Camp Roberts Joint Land Use Study, published in 2013, points to problems related to the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin that could arise from an increase in demand for water from the basin. Camp Roberts pumps ground water from the basin to support camp operations and provide drinking water.

For more than a decade, declining water levels in the basin have caused residential and small agricultural wells to go dry. The civilian population and agriculture uses have dramatically increased leading to less water availability, according to the study.

“Groundwater supply planning must be coordinated to ensure viable water resources,” according to the study. “If the demand for groundwater increases, Camp Roberts could contribute to and exacerbate groundwater supply concerns.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported in late April that 97.5% of California was under drought conditions. San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties are in moderate to severe drought.

A 2020 University of Cal Poly study describes a worst case scenario if farmers and residents are forced to reduce their water usage by 23 percent. Wineries could lose more than $215 million annually, with an estimated 967 jobs lost.

The study, “The Economic Impact on the Local Economy of Irrigated Agriculture in the Paso Robles Area and Potential Impacts of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act,” was conducted by Lynn Hamilton, Ph.D. and Michael McCollough, Ph.D. of Cal Poly.

Camp Roberts straddles San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. Current plans are to house the children on the Monterey County side of the base, where minority soldiers were segregated in the 40s. Because the infrastructure is dilapidated, federal employees are currently assessing infrastructure, such as plumbing for water and sewer, sources said.

For decades, the California Military Department has retained jurisdiction over the federally owned base. However, sources contend the federal goverment has recently taken control of portions of the base.

Government officials from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have refused to discuss detailed plans for Camp Roberts.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, Chief of Media Relations, said the California National Guard “retains operations at Camp Roberts,” but directed questions regarding portions of the base being under federal control to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which also refused to answer questions.

Camp Roberts is a National Guard post that provides training for National Guard, Army Reserve and law enforcement agencies. It spans 43,000 acres with approximately 33,000 acres used for training.

Some 22,195 children are in the Department of Health and Human Services custody and more than 683 in Customs and Border Patrol custody, not including children from Mexico who are expected to be repatriated, according to Homeland Security.

On May 3, border patrol officers apprehended 426 unaccompanied migrant children and placed them in Customs and Border Patrol custody. Over the past 30 days, officers have picked up an average of 429 children a day.

Camp Roberts is the third military base selected to house unaccompanied children. The Pentagon previously approved Fort Bliss and Joint Base, both in Texas, as other sites to house immigrant children.

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Is this going to create any Federal jobs for the local populace? Or are all the security, medical, mental health personnel, food workers, sanitation workers, etc. going to be transferred here? From where? If so, where will they live? Does this area even have enough available workers to be recruited to fill all these staffing positions? What about the contractors and construction workers needed to make these buildings habitable for children or put up tents? Will they be using local companies or the Army Corp of Engineers? Will this entire project be good or bad for our local economy? What will the staff to child ratio be? What will happen to children who turn 18? Will they be able to just leave? What about minors who escape? Who will be responsible for finding them? Will they be in escape proof settings? Cages? Barbed wire? Locked dorms? Is this a humane way to house children? Will they be provided education? Taught English? By who? Considering CMC houses 3000 inmates and ASH houses 1100 patients, and these are the two largest employers in SLO County, does anyone have any idea how many employees it will take to run a housing facility for up to 20,000 children? As usual….. so many questions, so little answers.


48

You are dreaming if you think there is any way that 20k children are going to be contained at a military base. And as soon as videos of screaming children pop up on youtube when enforcement agencies “hunt down” escapees, that practice is going to end–if it even starts. English? There is no requirement to learn English in California–clearly. The economy? Why does that matter if your home becomes unrecognizable? When you must learn another language just to perform in the “economy” of your home, it’ is no longer the home you knew–if it’s even your home anymore.


35

“…Considering CMC houses 3000 inmates and ASH houses 1100 patients, and these are the two largest employers in SLO County…”


Nah. SLO County, Cal Poly, PG&E and others employ more.


-7

It is true that San Luis Obispo County employs approximately 2800 people, however, Atascadero State Hospital (ASH) employs apprx. 2100 in one facility at one site. CMC employs approx. 1800 and CalPoly apprx 1700. SLO County jail has 430 employees and the inpatient unit on Johnson are the only facilities that house people 24/7. The latest news says Camp Roberts is expecting to house 5000 children 24/7. If you consider ASH having 2100 employees and 1200 patients, You are looking at at least 7000 and possibly 10,000 employees to ensure these children are fed nutritious food, kept clean, sanitary and healthy with immediate access to health/medical care, and considering they have all been through severe trauma, 24/7 mental health care, plus security to ensure they do not escape or harm each other or themselves. That means 7000 to 10,000 staff will also need to be housed, fed, and have access to entertainment,( they will have days off) medical care, emergency services etc. That is roughly the population of Templeton. I do believe that due to decisions that have already been made at the border, at this point these children should have compassionate care. However, the execution of this project is going to be tremendous and will impact our area greatly. Of course we all have no doubt the Federal Government will execute this in a timely, efficient, organized and cost effective manner like they do everything else. (Tongue in cheek and extreme sarcasm here).


6

More Reason to Vote Gaven Newsom out!

States rights do still exist!

California Leadership is Awash with Failed Leadership from Democrats!!!!!!!!


40

If this is going to happen, the same accommodations need to be offered to all of our county’s homeless also.


44

They could offer, but the county’s homeless already don’t take advantage of the existing housing that is offered to them, preferring to live on the streets, in creeks, etc. I guarantee that NONE of them would take up the offer to live in a desolate isolated army barracks many miles away from either a job or a place they can panhandle for money. Exactly what would they do all day?


46

So let me get this straight. We have thousands of unaccompanied minors who crossed our southern border currently housed in cages in a building that has central heating and air, but because of the negative media attention we are moving them to an army base in the middle of nowhere and housing them in tents.

Has anybody been at Camp Roberts in August? It’s like being on the sun. I hope they put the kids in “glamping” tents at least. Maybe buy each one their very own personal portable electric fan for when the march to their chow hall tent.

How about medical care for these kids? Any of them going to wind up in Twin Cities Hospital? If so are they under guard because if they walk away the local cops can’t stop them because they are forbidden by state law to enforce immigration laws. They can’t even ask a person’s immigration status.

If Trump had done this people would call it child abuse, but when Biden does it we call it compassion…


88

No mention of how they will be fed, nor hygiene concerns (3 shower heads in a communal shower per barrack. 3-4 toilets per barrack. 4 sinks per barrack), nor that the Summer is notoriously crazy hot at Camp Bob, which will require cooling systems for the barracks or tentage. Also, no mention of security personnel. Anyone who has ever visited or trained there, knows it’s not just the low water levels, but the poor quality of that water.


And what of the training requirements of the National Guard and regular forces that use the Post? Is Gavin suddenly okay with children being around people with guns? Large vehicles moving at all hours?


And lastly, who the hell does your research CCN? Camp Bob was built in 1940-1941, making it impossible to separately house any blacks in either county in the 1930’s!


45

Of course they need to have schools, food, doctors, clothes and….. well everything! Bunch of crap if you ask me. Build the wall and have armed guards on them.


65

Is Camp Roberts now the “International Guard”. Say what you want but the fact remains that there is no housing at Camp Roberts for our homeless citizens.


45

I challenge you to find a single homeless person who’d want to live on a desolate isolated army barracks miles away from anywhere else. What are they going to do all day with no job nearby and no one to ask for money from? Panhandle from each other? Homeless people live in cities because that’s where the money is.


24

The homeless can be given a choice, the barracks or the enforcement of vagrancy laws. This is a realistic option, the public does not have to tolerate freeway campgrounds, park playground weirdo’s or trespassing.


14

Just as it began…. this will end badly. They’re just cages with a different name. Where is the blue media condemnation now?


66

“I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”


45
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