Jewish Family Service provides robust immigration legal services in addition to humanitarian and respite shelter for asylum seekers who have been released into the United States by the Department of Homeland Security. Since our founding in 1918, JFS has been committed to Welcoming the Stranger–we’ve assisted and connected thousands of refugees to housing, employment, and education. We know this work is essential to ensuring San Diego is a more humane, prosperous, and beautifully diverse place to live.
For the entire duration of JFS’s operation of the SDRRN Migrant Shelter Services—including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic—we have demonstrated that it is possible to both prioritize public health and welcome vulnerable individuals with dignity.
For more information visit the San Diego Rapid Response Network website at rapidresponsesd.org.
Support Our Work
Your gift to the JFS Welcome the Stranger Fund ensures San Diego remains a welcoming place for those in search of a safer life—free from violence and persecution. To donate, click here.
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete our volunteer application.
The San Diego Rapid Response Network Migrant Shelter — operated by Jewish Family Service — recently welcomed its 100,000th guest, a milestone marked by this article in The San Diego Union on December 18, 2022. “It was a happiness to be here,” said 31-year-old Yolanda, who is fleeing cartel violence. “I feel safe.” The article illustrates our emphasis on welcoming and providing care for the most vulnerable of asylum seekers with public health as our top priority. “They are the gold standard,” said Naomi Steinberg of HIAS. “They have really shown organizations around the country about how it can be done and how it should be done.”
Every week, the SDRRN Migrant Shelter Services welcomes new families. Click below to see our weekly stats.
November 20 – 26, 2023
November 13 – 19, 2023
November 6 – 12, 2023
October 23 – 29, 2023
October 16 – 22, 2023
October 9 – 15, 2023
October 2 – 8, 2023
September 25 – October 1, 2023
September 18 – 24, 2023
September 11 – 17, 2023
September 4 – 10, 2023
August 28 – September 3, 2023
August 21 – 27, 2023
August 14 – 20, 2023
August 7 – 13, 2023
July 31 – August 6, 2023
July 24 – 30, 2023
July 17 – 23, 2023
July 10 – 16, 2023
July 3 – 9, 2023
June 26 – July 2, 2023
June 19 – 25, 2023
June 12 – 18, 2023
June 5 – 11, 2023
May 29 – June 4, 2023
May 22 – 28, 2023
May 15 – 21, 2023
May 8 – 14, 2023
May 1 – 7, 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 16 – 22, 2023
January 9 – 15, 2023
January 2 – 8, 2023
December 26, 2022 – January 1, 2023
December 19 – 25, 2022
December 12 – 18, 2022
December 5 – 11, 2022
November 28 – December 4, 2022
November 21 – 27, 2022
November 14 – 20, 2022
November 7 – 13, 2022
October 31 – November 6, 2022
October 24 – 30, 2022
October 17 – 23, 2022
October 10 – 16, 2022
October 3 – 9, 2022
September 26 – October 2, 2022
September 19 – 25, 2022
September 12 – 18, 2022
September 5 – 11, 2022
August 29 – September 4, 2022
August 22 – 28, 2022
August 15 – 21, 2022
August 8 – 14, 2022
August 1 – 7, 2022
July 25 – 31, 2022
July 18 – 24, 2022
July 11 – 17, 2022
July 4 – 10, 2022
June 27 – July 3, 2022
June 20 – 26, 2022
June 13 – 19, 2022
June 6 – 12, 2022
May 30 – June 5, 2022
May 23 – 29, 2022
May 16 – 22, 2022
May 9 – 15, 2022
May 2 – 8, 2022
April 25 – May 1, 2022
April 18 – 24, 2022
April 11 – 17, 2022
April 4 – 10, 2022
March 28 – April 3, 2022
March 21 – 27, 2022
March 14 – 20, 2022
March 7 – 13, 2022
February 28 – March 6, 2022
February 21 – 27, 2022
February 14 – 20, 2022
February 7 – 13, 2022
January 31 – February 6, 2022
January 24 – 30, 2022
January 17 – 23, 2022
January 10 – 16, 2022
January 3 – 9, 2022
December 27, 2021 – January 2, 2022
December 20 – 26, 2021
December 13 – 19, 2021
December 6 – 12, 2021
November 29 – December 5, 2021
November 22 – 28, 2021
November 15 – 21, 2021
November 8 – 14, 2021
November 1 – 7, 2021
October 25 – 31, 2021
October 18 – 24, 2021
September 13 – 19, 2021
September 6 – 12, 2021
August 30 – September 5, 2021
August 23 – 29, 2021
August 16 – 21, 2021
August 2 – 8, 2021
July 26 – August 1, 2021
July 19 – 25, 2021
July 5 – 11, 2021
June 14 – 20, 2021
June 7 – 13, 2021
May 31 – June 6, 2021
May 24 – 30, 2021
May 17 – 23, 2021
May 10 – 16, 2021
April 26 – May 2, 2021
April 19 – 25, 2021
April 12 – 18, 2021
April 5 – 11, 2021
March 29 – April 4, 2021
The California Welcoming Task Force is a binational coalition dedicated to re-envisioning how the U.S. can welcome people seeking asylum safely and expeditiously at our border by coordinating across sectors: humanitarian, legal, health, advocacy and communications.
In October 2018, Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) abruptly ended a program known as “Safe Release,” which helped asylum-seekers connect with friends and family in the U.S. as they waited for their court date. Abandoned on the streets of downtown San Diego, migrant families were left vulnerable to crime and risked straining County resources by adding to our expanding homeless population. The San Diego Rapid Response Network (SDRRN) filled this critical gap in government assistance by protecting community safety and serving as an emergency respite shelter for asylum seekers. By mid-November 2018, ICE began coordinating with the SDRRN to drop-off migrant families at the SDRRN Migrant Shelter each day.
SDRRN Migrants Shelter Services, operated by Jewish Family Service of San Diego, continues to provide case management, travel assistance, nutrition services, medical screenings, and financial support for migrant families. As of August 2022, SDRRN Migrant Shelter Services has serve more than 81,000 asylum seekers. By our continued work to welcome the stranger, we are also protecting community safety by providing critical services, medical screening, and keeping asylum seekers off the streets. For the latest data, view the latest infographic in the above section.
Starting in June 2020, services for asylum seekers released by the U.S. Government transitioned from a congregate shelter space to individual hotel rooms operated by JFS as part of the services it offers under the San Diego Rapid Response Network. We will continue to prioritize the needs of asylum seekers through transition services and legal assistance, ensuring that No One Stands Alone In Our Community.
JFS continues to provide high-quality pro bono immigration legal services in the following areas:
Immigration Emergency Hotline: If you or someone you know is experiencing an immigration emergency (raid, arrest, checkpoint, and/or harassment) call the San Diego Rapid Response Network hotline at (619) 536-0823.
Immigration Pro-Bono Legal Assistance: For non-emergency immigration legal assistance inquiries, please call (858) 637-3365 or email [email protected]. This line is staffed by the legal team at JFS – give us a call today!
Asylum seekers arriving in our community are in desperate need of your help. They have traveled thousands of miles to flee violence, persecution, and other hardships in their home country in search of a safer, better life. The most impactful way to address this issue is with responsive and flexible funding. Your financial support will change lives.
Make a Donation
Online donations can be made through rapidresponsesd.org or the donate button below.
Checks can be mailed to:
Jewish Family Service of San Diego
C/O: SDRRN Migrant Shelter Services
JOAN & IRWIN JACOBS CAMPUS
Turk Family Center
8804 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123
For media-related inquiries, please contact J. Walcher Communications at (619) 295-7140 or send an email to [email protected].
