The San Diego Sector of the Border Patrol issued a warning on Wednesday to migrants considering crossing the border about the dangers posed by inclement weather throughout San Diego County. Still, smuggling organizations continue to guide migrants through some of the county's most arduous environments.

In Jacumba, volunteers helping provide services to migrants say they continue to see anywhere from 300 to 600 cross into the area every day. 

Luis Alfredo Morales and Carlos Arbolea crossed Thursday night, in the middle of a winter storm.

“The cold temperatures are impressive,” said Morales. “We’ve had to double up on pants, put on more jackets, and huddle together to stay warm.”

Both Morales and Arbolea are from Colombia. They met along the way and connected in their search for better opportunities.

“The good thing is we’re already here,” said Arbolea.

But despite their arrival on U.S. soil, their journey continues as they await processing by Border Patrol, relying on volunteers like Sam Shultz for food and basic items.

“A lot of these people came with almost nothing because they were told they were not going to be able to carry anything when the Border Patrol picks them up,” said Shultz. “So many of them don’t have much in the way of warm clothing.”

Shultz is a Jacumba resident, working alongside the non-profit organizations Al Otro Lado and Border Kindness.

“Today we made two hot meals,” said Shultz. “Well, not really meals. Hot cocoa in the morning with bread and fruit and this afternoon we’ll have rice and vegetables. People need a lot of calories when it's cold.”

The operation is made possible by donations and volunteers but Shultz says they need more support.

“What we need is for the government, at any level, to step in and take care of this,” said Shultz.

With temperatures only getting colder, Shultz fears worsening conditions at the border camps, potentially leading to more sickness and even death.

Border Patrol cautioned that heavy rains and cold fronts in the mountains of San Diego's East County increase the possibility of injury, sickness, or even death to those who attempt to illegally enter the United States.

"Our message to migrants thinking of illegally crossing the border is this: Do not put your lives at risk. The smugglers do not care about you, they have abandoned others in the past and left numerous migrants to fend for themselves," San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel said in a statement. "Human smugglers only see you as a commodity they can profit from -- not a human being."

Over the years, the U.S. Border Patrol has implemented various safety measures to combat the danger, such as public service announcements; agents carrying cold weather kits containing blankets, water, food, and heat packs; the deployment of rescue beacons throughout the border region; and active patrols by the Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue team. Additionally, every Border Patrol agent is trained as a first responder, according to the agency.

In Fiscal Year 2023, the San Diego Sector of the Border Patrol recorded more than 5,600 rescues.

Meanwhile, migrants fueled by hope, continue arriving at the border by the thousands.

“It’s all worth it,” says Morales, risking it all for a chance at a better life.