Press Releases
San Diego, CA (August 25, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement in response to San Diego Union Tribune reporting up to 10 hours in border crossing wait times. Last week, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) made operational changes at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Calexico West Land Ports of Entry in efforts to discourage leisure travelers from traveling to and from Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. The operational changes, however, more than double the average wait time for essential travelers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday.
San Diego, CA (August 24, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement in response to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operational changes causing significant increases in wait times at San Ysidro (SYPOE), Otay Mesa and Calexico West Land Ports of Entry.
Washington, D.C. (August 19, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration's attempts to manipulate the elections and their temporary reversal of U.S. Postal Service policies under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
"Having a reliable, efficient, and fully-funded U.S. Postal Service has never been more important. Trump's actions are an attack on our democracy and a threat to the lives and livelihood of the American people.
Washington, D.C. (August 7, 2020) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), along with Reps. Davis (CA-53), Peters (CA-52), Ruiz (CA-36), and Levin (CA-49), introduced the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2020, a companion bill to Senator Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) legislation introduced on July 29, 2020.
Washington, D.C. (July 31, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after sending a letter addressed to Secretary of the Navy, Kenneth J. Braithwaite, concerning the burning of the USS Bonhomme Richard and how it impacted Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, National City and the surrounding communities.
On July 12, 2020, the USS Bonhomme Richard experienced an explosion causing a fire aboard the ship. As a result, smoke impacted the air quality in the surrounding communities.
Washington, D.C. (July 29, 2020) – Today, language submitted by Reps. Vargas (CA-51) and Ruiz (CA-36) was included in the Water Resources Development Act for Salton Sea restoration efforts. The legislation will help carry out water resource development projects and a study for the construction of a perimeter lake to restore the Salton Sea.
Washington, D.C. (July 28, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a memo indicating that the Trump administration will not accept any new DACA applications. In addition, the memo states that renewals for current DACA recipients will be limited to one year, as opposed to two.
Washington, D.C. (June 21, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration is considering an executive order preventing undocumented individuals from being counted in the 2020 Census.
"Ensuring that ALL individuals are counted in the Census is a bipartisan issue. The administration is threatening to distort the 2020 Census count with yet another anti-immigrant order. This is unconstitutional and completely unacceptable.
Washington, D.C. (July 7, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), released the following statement after sending a letter addressed to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf concerning Kumeyaay land affected by border wall construction.
The letter comes after several Kumeyaay members communicated their concerns regarding the desecration of Kumeyaay lands, artifacts, and fossils near Tierra Del Sol Road in Campo, California.