One prong of the operation involves placing vintage travel posters along the border wall in an effort to get migrants from the Northern Triangle to reconsider the virtues of the places they have left behind. Says Turnback, “I look at these images and think, ‘Who wouldn’t want to live there?’ It’s like the song says: you never know what you’ve got til it’s gone,’ or at least until it’s 1600 miles behind you. Sure, there are troubles, but you know what? You can’t get away from your troubles by running. Or walking, for that matter. You’ve got to stand and face them. Besides, it’s not like we don’t have troubles of our own on this side of the border fence. Sure, everybody wants to come live in a country that elected Joe Biden president, especially after he said they should come during the debates. But this is also a country that elected Donald Trump just five years ago. Clearly, we’ve got some issues, issues that should give anyone pause. Plus, murders are way, way up. So are suicides. You’ve got mass shootings, hate crimes, systemic racism... Sometimes, I’m amazed we even have to make the case for staying at home.”

“Everybody knows that homelessness is the single greatest humanitarian crisis facing the city of San Diego,” says Mayor Todd Gloria. “But some crises are bigger than just one city. Some crises are national in scope. Like the crisis currently unfolding at this country’s southern border, where thousands of migrant children are being kept in facilities that might have been called cages in another era. It’s unconscionable and intolerable, and something has to be done. So when the Biden Administration reached out and asked if I wouldn’t mind moving the homeless folks who have been living in the Convention Center through this pandemic back to their former situations, I knew I had to oblige. Besides, things are quieting down now on the covid front.”

Republican critics of Gloria were quick to seize on the move as a classic example of “Democrats who care more about immigrants than actual American citizens” — as Republican City Councilman Todd Bluster put it. “What makes it worse is, many of these homeless people being kicked to the curb are military veterans. Our American heroes are being cast aside in favor of foreign invaders.” Homeless vet Mike Petiesdie said he was touched by Mr. Bluster’s support, adding that it was the first time he could remember a Republican even acknowledging his existence, let alone his military service.