Press Releases
San Diego, CA. (May 12, 2020) –Rep. Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they are dedicating the entire $300 million appropriated in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (USMCA) to combat cross-border toxic sewage spills in San Diego County.
Washington, D.C. (May 11, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), released the following statement after leading a letter, along with 10 other members of Congress, addressed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concerning the first reported death in ICE custody and rapid increase in COVID-19 cases within their facilities.
Washington, D.C. (May 11, 2020) — Representative Juan Vargas (CA-51) introduced the Promoting Access to Credit for Homebuyers Act which provides low to middle-income homebuyers with better access to credit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
San Diego, CA (May 8, 2020) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after visiting Otay Mesa Detention Center for the second time since the first initial COVID-19 cases were reported. The visit comes after the first reported coronavirus-related death in ICE Custody.
San Diego, CA (May 6, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after the first reported coronavirus-related death in ICE custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center.
Washington, D.C. (April 29, 2020)– Rep. Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement in response to recent heavy rainstorms leaving several pumps in Tijuana, Baja California inoperable. The pumps, when operable, act as the first line of defense in preventing wastewater flowing into the United States.
Washington, D.C. (April 23, 2020) Rep. Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after voting for an interim emergency funding package for small businesses, hospitals, and testing, that Congress passed today.
Washington, D.C. (April 23, 2020) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), released the following statement after sending a letter, along with 24 other members of Congress, addressed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concerning the increase in COVID-19 cases within their facilities and alleged inhumane treatment of detainees.
Chula Vista, CA (April 21, 2020) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), released the following statement after visiting Otay Mesa Detention Center to address the increase in COVID-19 cases within their facilities and alleged inhumane treatment of detainees.
Washington, D.C. (April 10, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after sending a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CoreCivic, which manages the Otay Mesa Detention Center, in response to the San Diego Union-Tribune story that ICE is keeping detainees, potentially exposed to the virus, in a "cohort."
According to the article, the practice of cohorting forces detainees exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual to remain in the same pod until a 14-day period passes with no new cases.