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107-501: The fencing built under the 2006 act was not the first border fencing in the United States. The U.S. Border Patrol first began to erect physical barriers in its San Diego sector in 1990.Fourteen miles of fencing were erected along the border of San Diego, California , and Tijuana, Mexico . In the early 2000s, there were increasing concerns over illegal immigration, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and security threats posed by

214-580: A U.S. border wall. Experts doubt that the border wall proposed by Trump would actually significantly reduce illegal immigration, or have any benefits commensurate with the anticipated high cost of construction, estimated to be billions of dollars. Trump's demand for Congress to appropriate $ 5.7 billion for the wall resulted in the 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown , which lasted for 35 days. San Diego, California San Diego ( / ˌ s æ n d i ˈ eɪ ɡ oʊ / SAN dee- AY -goh , Spanish: [san ˈdjeɣo] )

321-546: A Voyage Between China and the North-Western Coast of America, Made in 1804" and Richard Henry Dana 's more substantial and convincing account, of his 1834–36 voyage, the classic Two Years Before the Mast . In 1846, the United States went to war against Mexico and sent a naval and land expedition to conquer Alta California . At first, they had an easy time of it, capturing the major ports including San Diego, but

428-453: A bill deals with determines to which committee or committees it is referred. Authorizations bills can recommend funding levels for the agencies and programs they authorize, but their recommendations are non-binding. It is the appropriations bills that determine how much funding those agencies and programs will get. Some authorization bills are actually reauthorizations of previous programs or agencies that are expiring. For example, in 2013,

535-591: A center of the emerging biotech industry and is home to telecommunications giant Qualcomm . San Diego had also grown in the tourism industry with the popularity of attractions such as the San Diego Zoo , SeaWorld San Diego , and Legoland California in Carlsbad . According to SDSU professor emeritus Monte Marshall, San Diego Bay is "the surface expression of a north-south-trending, nested graben ". The Rose Canyon and Point Loma fault zones are part of

642-542: A current life-cycle costs estimate to maintain pedestrian and vehicle fencing, however, in 2009 CBP estimated that maintaining fencing would cost more than $ 1 billion over 20 years." A report in May 2008 by the Congressional Research Service found "strong indication" that illegal border-crossers had simply found new routes. New York Times op-ed writer Lawrence Downes wrote in 2013: "A climber with

749-502: A given planning area there may be several distinct neighborhoods. Altogether the city contains more than 100 identified neighborhoods . Downtown San Diego is located on San Diego Bay . Balboa Park encompasses several mesas and canyons to the northeast, surrounded by older, dense urban communities including Hillcrest and North Park . To the east and southeast lie City Heights , the College Area , and Southeast San Diego . To

856-600: A limited amount of time (by including an expiration date) or make them perpetual (without expiration date). The bill may get specific about who the leaders of the program will be, what their specific responsibilities are, what reports must be filed with Congress, and so forth. Congress can place recommended funding levels for the agencies and programs they authorize in an authorization bill, but their recommendations are non-binding. The recommendations can be for specific amounts in specific years for specific purposes, or it can be an unlimited amount ("such sums as may be necessary") in

963-407: A negligible amount (average annual income gain of 28 cents per year). These estimates excluded the direct costs of wall construction (about $ 7 per U.S. person). Fencing built under the 2006 Secure Fence Act caused habitat fragmentation that adversely affected wildlife, including endangered wildlife. A 2011 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Diversity and Distributions determined that

1070-462: A number of small parks and preserves. San Diego County has one of the highest counts of animal and plant species that appear on the endangered list of counties in the United States. Because of its diversity of habitat and its position on the Pacific Flyway , San Diego County has recorded 492 different bird species, more than any other region in the country. San Diego always scores high in

1177-547: A one-size-fits-all approach across the entire border didn't make sense." An amendment introduced by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison , Republican of Texas, was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 , amending the law to read: "nothing in this paragraph shall require the Secretary of Homeland Security to install fencing, physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors in

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1284-587: A particular location along an international border of the United States, if the Secretary determines that the use or placement of such resources is not the most appropriate means to achieve and maintain operational control over the international border at such location." By April 2009, DHS had erected about 613 miles (985 km) of new pedestrian fencing and vehicle barriers along the southwest border from California to Texas. Delays frustrated some, such as Senator Jim DeMint , Republican of South Carolina, who in 2010 introduced legislation seeking to require completion of

1391-672: A particular time period or indefinitely. It is the appropriations bills that determine how much funding those agencies and programs will get. Most authorization bills today are for multiple years, with the exception of defense and intelligence agency authorizations, which happen annually. The defense authorization bills are referred to as the National Defense Authorization Act . Authorization bills are part of an authorization-appropriation process created by House and Senate rules governing spending. The spending process has two steps. First, an authorization bill

1498-663: A result of the Mexican–American War of 1846–48, the territory of Alta California, including San Diego, was ceded to the United States by Mexico, under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The Mexican negotiators of that treaty tried to retain San Diego as part of Mexico, but the Americans insisted that San Diego was "for every commercial purpose of nearly equal importance to us with that of San Francisco", and

1605-584: A river or creek flowed through it, and that they would lead our men to it if they would follow." That river was the San Diego River. Several reservoirs and Mission Trails Regional Park also lie between and separate developed areas of the city. Notable peaks within the city limits include Cowles Mountain , the highest point in the city at 1,591 feet (485 m); Black Mountain at 1,558 feet (475 m); and Mount Soledad at 824 feet (251 m). The Cuyamaca Mountains and Laguna Mountains rise to

1712-611: A rope can hop it in less than half a minute. ... Smugglers with jackhammers tunnel under it. They throw drugs and rocks over it. The fence is breached not just by sunlight and shadows, but also the hooded gaze of drug-cartel lookouts, and by bullets. Border agents describe their job as an unending battle of wits, a cat-mouse game with the constant threat of violence." As of 2016, fence was routinely climbed or otherwise circumvented. A 2017 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, found that from fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2015,

1819-490: A toolbox. There are several new high-rises under construction , including two that exceed 400 feet (122 m) in height. The city had a population of 1,307,402 according to the 2010 census, distributed over a land area of 372.1 square miles (963.7 km ). The urban area of San Diego had a total population of 2,956,746, making it the third-largest in the state, after those of Los Angeles and San Francisco . The 2010 population represented an increase of just under 7% from

1926-529: Is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California , immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border . With a population of over 1.3 million residents, it is the eighth-most populous city in the United States and the second-most populous in the state of California , after Los Angeles . San Diego is the seat of San Diego County , which has a population of nearly 3.3 million people. It

2033-476: Is enacted. Authorization bills "may create or continue an agency, program, or activity as well as authorize the subsequent enactment of appropriations." The second step is for an appropriations bill to be enacted. The appropriations bill provides the funding needed for the agency, program, or activity that was just authorized by the enacted authorization bill. Agencies and programs must have been authorized before they can have funds appropriated to them according to

2140-580: Is known for its mild year-round Mediterranean climate , extensive beaches and parks , long association with the United States Navy , and its recent emergence as a healthcare and biotechnology development center. Historically home to the Kumeyaay people, San Diego has been referred to as the Birthplace of California , as it was the first site visited and settled by Europeans on what

2247-546: Is mostly because of the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May gray/ June gloom " period, a thick " marine layer " cloud cover keeps the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but yields to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5–10 miles (8–16 km) inland. Sometimes the June gloom lasts into July, causing cloudy skies over most of San Diego for

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2354-558: Is now the West Coast of the United States . Upon landing in San Diego Bay in 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the area for Spain , forming the basis for the settlement of Alta California 200 years later. The Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá , founded in 1769, formed the first European settlement in what is now California. In 1821, San Diego became part of the newly declared Mexican Empire , which reformed as

2461-709: Is one of the powers of the United States Congress . Authorizations give those things the legal power to operate and exist. Authorization bills must be passed in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate before being signed by the President of the United States in order to become law . They may originate in either chamber of Congress, unlike revenue raising bills , which must originate in

2568-478: Is the busiest single-runway airport in the United States. San Diego's name can be traced back to the 16th century when Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno bestowed it upon the area in 1602. He named the bay and the surrounding area "San Diego de Alcalá" in honor of Saint Didacus of Alcalá . Prior to the Spanish establishment of San Diego, the Kumeyaay town was called Kosa'aay , meaning "drying out place" in

2675-654: The 113th United States Congress passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 ( Pub. L.   113–4 (text) (PDF) ), which reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. §602(e)(3)), must identify spending appropriations that were linked to expired authorizations, in

2782-509: The First Mexican Republic two years later. California was conquered by the U.S. in 1848 following the Mexican–American War and was admitted as the 31st state in 1850. The largest sectors of the economy of San Diego include military and defense-related activities, tourism, international trade, research, and manufacturing. The city is home to several universities, including UC San Diego , San Diego State University , and

2889-1001: The Gaslamp Quarter . In the early part of the 20th century, San Diego hosted the World's Fair twice: the Panama–California Exposition in 1915 and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935. Both expositions were held in Balboa Park , and many of the Spanish/Baroque-style buildings that were built for those expositions remain to this day as central features of the park. The buildings were intended to be temporary structures, but most remained in continuous use until they progressively fell into disrepair. Most were eventually rebuilt, using castings of

2996-575: The Kumeyaay language . After the establishment of San Diego, the Kumeyaay called town and city Tepacul Watai , meaning "Stacked Big". Luiseño speakers in the North County region called it Pushuyi . What has been referred to as the San Dieguito complex was established in the area at least 9,000 years ago. The Kumeyaay may have culturally evolved from this complex or migrated into

3103-762: The Madrean Sky Island Archipelago of southeastern Arizona as the three border regions where the barrier posed the greatest risk to wildlife. In Texas, for example, "the border barrier affects 60% to 70% of the habitat in the South Texas Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Laguna Atascosa , Lower Rio Grande Valley , and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges ." A paper by University of Pennsylvania political scientist Benjamin Laughlin estimates that

3210-443: The Mexico–United States border , and are physically separated from the rest of the city by the cities of National City and Chula Vista . A narrow strip of land at the bottom of San Diego Bay connects these southern neighborhoods with the rest of the city. For the most part, San Diego neighborhood boundaries tend to be understood by its residents based on geographical boundaries like canyons and street patterns. The city recognized

3317-707: The San Andreas Fault system. About 40 miles (64 km) east of the bay are the Laguna Mountains in the Peninsular Ranges , which are part of the American Cordillera . The city lies on approximately 200 deep canyons and hills separating its mesas , creating small pockets of natural open space scattered throughout the city and giving it a hilly geography. Traditionally, San Diegans have built their homes and businesses on

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3424-683: The San Pasqual Valley , which holds an agricultural preserve. Carmel Valley and Del Mar Heights occupy the northwest corner of the city. To their south are Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the business center of the Golden Triangle . Further south are the beach and coastal communities of La Jolla , Pacific Beach , Mission Beach , and Ocean Beach . Point Loma occupies the peninsula across San Diego Bay from downtown. The communities of South San Diego (an Exclave ), such as San Ysidro and Otay Mesa , are located next to

3531-621: The United States House Committee on Appropriations and the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations and their twelve subcommittees. Authorizing bills fall under the jurisdiction of most of the other standing committees of the House and Senate. Almost all of the standing House committees and Senate committees have authorizing responsibilities. The topics, agencies, or programs that

3638-719: The University of San Diego . San Diego is the economic center of the San Diego–Tijuana region, the second-most populous transborder metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere, home to an estimated five million people as of 2022. The primary border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana , the San Ysidro Port of Entry , is the busiest international land border crossing in the world outside of Asia ( fourth-busiest overall). San Diego International Airport

3745-638: The "total impact of the border wall expansion including all general equilibrium adjustments was to reduce the (long-run) number of Mexican workers residing in the United States by about 50,000, a decline of approximately 0.4%." A 2019 estimate by Dartmouth and Stanford economists found that Mexican workers and high-skilled U.S. workers suffered minor economic harm as a result of the fence expansion (average annual income loss of 81 cents, $ 1.82, and $ 2.73 for low-skilled Mexican workers, high-skill Mexican workers, and high-skill U.S. workers, respectively), and that on average low-skill U.S. workers benefited economically by

3852-524: The 1,223,400 people reported in 2000. The population density was 3,771.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,456.3/km ). The racial makeup of San Diego was 58.9% White , 6.7% African American, 0.6% Native American, 15.9% Asian (5.9% Filipino , 2.7% Chinese , 2.5% Vietnamese , 1.3% Indian , 1.0% Korean , 0.7% Japanese , 0.4% Laotian , 0.3% Cambodian , 0.1% Thai ). 0.5% Pacific Islander (0.2% Guamanian , 0.1% Samoan , 0.1% Native Hawaiian ), 12.3% from other races , and 5.1% from two or more races. 28.8% of

3959-608: The 2007 amendment). The Washington Office on Latin America writes that the extremely high cost of complying with the Secure Fence Act's mandate—estimated at US$ 4.1 billion, or more than the Border Patrol's entire annual budget of US$ 3.55 billion—was the main reason that the fence was not fully built. In 2016, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed building a border wall "as high as 55 feet" along

4066-405: The 654 miles of primary fencing, CBP has also deployed additional layers of pedestrian fencing behind the primary border fencing, including 37 miles of secondary fencing and 14 miles of tertiary fencing." Although the 2006 law authorized construction of a fence, Congress initially did not fully appropriate funds for it (see authorization-appropriation process ). "Congress put aside $ 1.4 billion for

4173-402: The 700-mile-long, double-layered fence. (DHS had since 2007 begun "to shift its focus to erecting a 'virtual fence' along the 2,000-mile border, using sensors, cameras and other high-tech equipment to prevent illegal crossings".) DeMint's legislation was defeated in a 52–45 Senate vote in 2010. By May 2011, DHS reported completing 649 miles of fencing (99.5% of the 652 miles planned). The barrier

4280-562: The British Parliament. At first, this was an informal separation. In the 1830s, however, in reaction to a sharp increase in the number of riders added to appropriations measures, the House and then the Senate added formal rules to separate the two. Most programs received permanent authorization until the 1950s. This changed in the 1960s and 1970s, when many of these permanent authorizations were converted into temporary ones. This

4387-607: The Californios in southern Alta California struck back. Following the successful revolt in Los Angeles , the American garrison at San Diego was driven out without firing a shot in early October 1846. Mexican partisans held San Diego for three weeks until October 24, 1846, when the Americans recaptured it. For the next several months the Americans were blockaded inside the pueblo. Skirmishes occurred daily and snipers shot into

Secure Fence Act of 2006 - Misplaced Pages Continue

4494-704: The Colorado River and the depot fell into disuse. From 1857 to 1860, San Diego became the western terminus of the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line , the earliest overland stagecoach and mail operation from the Eastern United States to California, coming from Texas through New Mexico Territory in less than 30 days. In the late 1860s, Alonzo Horton promoted a move to the bayside area, which he called "New Town" and which became downtown San Diego . Horton promoted

4601-635: The House. They can also be considered at any time during the year. According to a reference glossary provided by the United States Senate, an authorization act is "A law that establishes or continues one or more Federal agencies or programs, establishes the terms and conditions under which they operate, authorizes the enactment of appropriations, and specifies how appropriated funds are to be used. Authorizations acts sometimes provide permanent appropriations." Authorization bills create, modify, and/or extend agencies, programs, and/or programs for

4708-485: The Mexican–American border was eventually established to be one league south of the southernmost point of San Diego Bay , so as to include the entire bay within the United States. The state of California was admitted to the United States in 1850. That same year San Diego was designated the seat of the newly established County of San Diego and was incorporated as a city. Joshua H. Bean , the last alcalde of San Diego,

4815-530: The Navy Coaling Station in Point Loma, and expanded greatly during the 1920s. By 1930, the city was host to Naval Base San Diego , Naval Training Center San Diego , San Diego Naval Hospital , Camp Matthews , and Camp Kearny (now Marine Corps Air Station Miramar ). The city was also an early center for aviation: as early as World War I, San Diego was proclaiming itself "The Air Capital of

4922-612: The Press Secretary stated that the Act "Authorizes the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our Southern border; Authorizes more vehicle barriers, checkpoints, and lighting to help prevent people from entering our country illegally; Authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to increase the use of advanced technology like cameras, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles to reinforce our infrastructure at

5029-579: The San Diego City and County had the fifth-largest homeless population among major cities in the United States, with 8,102 people experiencing homelessness. In the city of San Diego, 4,887 individuals were experiencing homelessness according to the 2020 count. A December 11, 2023 article in The San Diego Union-Tribune by Blake Nelson reports a notable decline in the homeless population in downtown San Diego, specifically in

5136-460: The San Diego region would face Kumeyaay raids in the late 1830s and the town itself would face raids in the 1840s. Americans gained an increased awareness of California, and its commercial possibilities, from the writings of two countrymen involved in the often officially forbidden, to foreigners, but economically significant hide and tallow trade, where San Diego was a major port and the only one with an adequate harbor: William Shaler 's "Journal of

5243-589: The Secure Fence Act caused at least 1,000 additional deaths in Mexican regions adjacent to the U.S.-Mexican border. The fence's construction changed "the value of territory for smuggling," thereby upending agreements among Mexican drug cartels , resulting in increased violence and an intensification of the Mexican Drug War . The Republican Party's 2012 platform called upon the "double-layered fencing" to be built as originally called for in 2006 law (prior to

5350-545: The Spanish settlement, making it the first settlement by Europeans in what is now the state of California. In July of the same year, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded by Franciscan friars under Serra. The mission became a site for a Kumeyaay revolt in 1775, which forced the mission to relocate six miles (10 km) up the San Diego River. By 1797, the mission boasted the largest native population in Alta California, with over 1,400 neophytes living in and around

5457-458: The U.S.-Mexico border fence had been breached 9,287 times, at an average cost of $ 784 per breach to repair. The same GAO report concluded that "CBP cannot measure the contribution of fencing to border security operations along the southwest border because it has not developed metrics for this assessment." GAO noted that because the government lacked such data, it was unable to assess the effectiveness of border fencing, and therefore could not "identify

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5564-406: The U.S.–Mexican border, making the pledge the centerpiece of his campaign. Trump's proposed wall—which he said would consist of 2,000 miles "of hardened concrete, and ... rebar, and steel" across the entire southern border would be much more extensive than the fencing built under the 2006 act. On January 25, 2017, days after taking office, Trump issued Executive Order 13767 , directing construction of

5671-518: The West". The city was home to important airplane developers and manufacturers like Ryan Airlines (later Ryan Aeronautical ), founded in 1925, and Consolidated Aircraft (later Convair ), founded in 1923. Charles A. Lindbergh 's plane, the Spirit of St. Louis , was built in San Diego in 1927 by Ryan Airlines. During World War II , San Diego became a major hub of military and defense activity, due to

5778-521: The abduction of Emma Goldman 's husband Ben Reitman and multiple riots . San Diego's proximity to Tijuana during the Mexican Revolution made this one of the most significant free speech fights during the Wobbly era. In 1916, the neighborhood of Stingaree , the original home of San Diego's first Chinatown and "Soapbox Row", was demolished by anti- vice campaigners to make way for

5885-415: The area around 1000 C.E. Archaeologist Malcolm Rogers hypothesized that the early cultures of San Diego were separate from the Kumeyaay, yet this claim is disputed, with others noting that it does not account for cultural evolution . Rogers later reevaluated his claims, yet they were influential in shaping historical tellings of early San Diego history. The Kumeyaay established villages scattered across

5992-548: The area for the Catholic Saint Didacus , a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego de Alcalá . On November 12, 1602, the first Christian religious service of record in Alta California was conducted by Friar Antonio de la Ascensión, a member of Vizcaíno's expedition, to celebrate the feast day of San Diego. The permanent European colonization of both California and San Diego began in 1769 with

6099-427: The area heavily, and people and businesses began to relocate to New Town because its location on San Diego Bay was convenient to shipping. New Town soon eclipsed the original settlement, known to this day as Old Town , and became the economic and governmental heart of the city. Still, San Diego remained a relative backwater town until the arrival of a railroad connection in 1878. In 1884–1886, John J. Montgomery made

6206-582: The arrival of four contingents of Spaniards from New Spain and the Baja California peninsula. Two seaborne parties reached San Diego Bay: the San Carlos , under Vicente Vila and including as notable members the engineer and cartographer Miguel Costansó and the soldier and future governor Pedro Fages , and the San Antonio , under Juan Pérez . An initial overland expedition to San Diego from

6313-433: The boarder. These concerns lead to the introduction to The Secure Fence Act of 2006. The Secure Fence Act (Bill H.R. 6061) was introduced in the House of Representatives on September 13, 2006, by Congressman Peter T. King , Republican of New York. The Act passed the House by a vote of 283–138 on September 14, 2006. It passed the Senate 80–19 on September 29, 2006. The Act received bipartisan support.The Senate focused more on

6420-521: The border." After the September 11th attack, Peter King felt as though he needed to make a change. Since he had experience in law enforcement, he knew the rules and regulations on how to approach the issue. The Secure Fence Act provided for "at least two layers of reinforced fencing" to be built. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) successfully argued to Congress "that different border terrains required different types of fencing, that

6527-473: The canneries, mostly staffed by immigrant fishermen from Japan , and later from the Portuguese Azores and Italy whose influence is still felt in neighborhoods like Little Italy and Point Loma . Due to rising costs and foreign competition, the last of the canneries closed in the early 1980s. Downtown San Diego was in decline in the 1960s and 1970s, but experienced some urban renewal since

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6634-498: The center of San Diego. The first skyscraper over 300 feet (91 m) in San Diego was the El Cortez Hotel , built in 1927; it was the tallest building in the city until 1963. As time went on, multiple buildings claimed the title of San Diego's tallest skyscraper, including the 530 B Street and Symphony Towers . Currently the tallest building in San Diego is One America Plaza , standing 500 feet (150 m) tall, which

6741-416: The century and a half that records have been kept. In 1949 and 1967, snow remained on the ground for a few hours in higher locations like Point Loma and La Jolla . The other three occasions, in 1882, 1946, and 1987, involved flurries but no accumulation. On February 21, 2019, snow fell and accumulated in residential areas of the city, but none fell in the downtown area. Like much of Southern California ,

6848-403: The city's economy by focusing on research and science, as well as tourism. From the start of the 20th century through the 1970s, the American tuna fishing fleet and tuna canning industry were based in San Diego, "the tuna capital of the world". San Diego's first tuna cannery was founded in 1911, and by the mid-1930s the canneries employed more than 1,000 people. A large fishing fleet supported

6955-477: The city, hoping to spread plague in the city and effectively kill tens of thousands of civilians. The plan was scheduled to launch on September 22, 1945, but was not carried out because Japan surrendered five weeks earlier. After World War II, the military continued to play a major role in the local economy, but post- Cold War cutbacks took a heavy toll on the local defense and aerospace industries. The resulting downturn led San Diego leaders to seek to diversify

7062-428: The coast are prone to wildfire , and the rates of fire increased in the 20th century, due primarily to fires starting near the borders of urban and wild areas. San Diego's broad city limits encompass a number of large nature preserves, including Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve , Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve , and Mission Trails Regional Park . Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and a coastal strip continuing to

7169-594: The cost effectiveness of border fencing compared to other assets the agency deploys, including Border Patrol agents and various surveillance technologies." The GAO reported in 2017 that both pedestrian and vehicle barriers have been defeated by various methods, including using ramps to drive vehicles "up and over" vehicle fencing in the sector; scaling, jumping over, or breaching pedestrian fencing; burrowing or tunneling underground; and even using small aircraft. A 2019 National Bureau of Economic Research paper by Dartmouth College and Stanford University economists found that

7276-632: The early 1980s, including the opening of Horton Plaza , the revival of the Gaslamp Quarter, and the construction of the San Diego Convention Center ; Petco Park opened in 2004. Outside of downtown, San Diego annexed large swaths of land and for suburban expansion to the north and control of the San Ysidro Port of Entry . As the Cold War ended, the military shrank and so did defense spending. San Diego has since become

7383-517: The east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas. The Cleveland National Forest is a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego. Numerous farms are found in the valleys northeast and southeast of the city. Under the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system , the San Diego area has been variously categorized as having either a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh in the original classification and BSkn in modified Köppen classification with

7490-401: The effectiveness of a border fence, while the House debate included more objections to the closed-rule procedure that restricted changes. Both parties wanted to speed up the process, but had different motives to do so. In 2006, at the time the Secure Fence Act was passed, George W. Bush 's White House touted the fence as "an important step toward immigration reform." The White House Office of

7597-448: The ensuing Battle of San Pasqual , fought in the San Pasqual Valley which is now part of the city of San Diego, the Americans suffered their worst losses in the campaign. Subsequently, a column led by Lieutenant Gray arrived from San Diego, rescuing Kearny's battered and blockaded command. Stockton and Kearny went on to recover Los Angeles and force the capitulation of Alta California with the " Treaty of Cahuenga " on January 13, 1847. As

7704-536: The entire day. Even in the absence of June gloom, inland areas experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas, where the ocean serves as a moderating influence. Thus, for example, downtown San Diego averages January lows of 50 °F (10 °C) and August highs of 78 °F (26 °C). The city of El Cajon , just 12 miles (19 km) inland from downtown San Diego, averages January lows of 42 °F (6 °C) and August highs of 88 °F (31 °C). The average surface temperature of

7811-420: The fence, but the whole cost, including maintenance, was pegged at $ 50 billion over 25 years, according to analyses at the time." A 2017 GAO report noted: "According to CBP, from fiscal year 2007 through 2015, it spent approximately $ 2.3 billion to deploy border fencing along the southwest border, and CBP will need to spend a substantial amount to sustain these investments over their lifetimes. CBP did not provide

7918-552: The fire, smoke resulted in a significant increase in emergency room visits due to asthma, respiratory problems, eye irritation, and smoke inhalation; the poor air quality caused San Diego County schools to close for a week. The October 2007 California wildfires destroyed some areas, particularly within Rancho Bernardo , as well as the nearby communities of Rancho Santa Fe and Ramona . The City of San Diego recognizes 52 individual areas as Community Planning Areas. Within

8025-575: The first controlled flights by an American in a heavier-than-air unpowered glider just south of San Diego at Otay Mesa, helping to pioneer a new science of aerodynamics. In 1912, San Diego was the site of a free speech fight between the Industrial Workers of the World and the city government who passed an ordinance forbidding the freedom of speech along an area of "Soapbox Row" that led to civil disobedience, vigilantism , police violence ,

8132-591: The flag of Castile , but possibly born in Portugal . Sailing his flagship San Salvador from Navidad , New Spain, Cabrillo claimed the bay for the Spanish Empire in 1542, and named the site "San Miguel". In November 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno was sent to map the California coast. Arriving on his flagship San Diego , Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named

8239-472: The following categories: In fiscal year 2024, the spending related to expired authorizations amounted to over $ 516 billion according to CBO. The incoming second Trump administration identified some of this $ 516 billion as waste to be eliminated by the Department of Government Efficiency . The separation between authorization bills and appropriations bills dates back to colonial legislatures and even

8346-575: The habitat fragmentation determined that "small range size is associated with a higher risk of extinction, and for some species, the barriers reduce range by as much as 75%." The study identified the most "at risk" species as the Arroyo toad ( Anaxyrus californicus ), California red-legged frog ( Rana draytonii ), black-spotted newt ( Notophthalmus meridionalis ), Pacific pond turtle ( Clemmys marmorata ), and jaguarundi ( Puma yagouaroundi) . The study also identified coastal California, coastal Texas, and

8453-424: The higher areas can receive 11–15 inches (280–380 mm) per year. Variability from year to year can be dramatic: in the wettest years of 1883/1884 and 1940/1941, more than 24 inches (610 mm) fell, whilst in the driest years there was as little as 3.2 inches (80 mm). The wettest month on record is December 1921 with 9.21 inches (234 mm). Snow in the city is rare, having been observed only six times in

8560-485: The historic period and presumably earlier as well, the river has shifted its flow back and forth between San Diego Bay and Mission Bay, and its fresh water was the focus of the earliest Spanish explorers. Miguel Costansó , a cartographer, wrote in 1769, "When asked by signs where the watering-place was, the Indians pointed to a grove which could be seen at a considerable distance to the northeast, giving to understand that

8667-465: The importance of its neighborhoods when it organized its 2008 General Plan around the concept of a "City of Villages". San Diego was originally centered on the Old Town district, but by the late 1860s the focus had shifted to the bayfront, in the belief that this new location would increase trade. As the "New Town" – present-day Downtown – waterfront location quickly developed, it eclipsed Old Town as

8774-425: The majority of San Diego's current area was originally occupied on the west by coastal sage scrub and on the east by chaparral , plant communities made up mostly of drought-resistant shrubs. The steep and varied topography and proximity to the ocean create a number of different habitats within the city limits, including tidal marsh and canyons . The chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats in low elevations along

8881-425: The median is 9.6 inches (240 mm). The months of December through March supply most of the rain, with February the only month averaging 2 inches (51 mm) or more. The months of May through September tend to be almost completely dry. Although there are few wet days per month during the rainy period, rainfall can be heavy when it does fall. Rainfall is usually greater in the higher elevations of San Diego; some of

8988-413: The mesas, while leaving the urban canyons relatively wild. Thus, the canyons give parts of the city a segmented feel, creating gaps between otherwise proximate neighborhoods and contributing to a low-density, car-centered environment. The San Diego River runs through the middle of San Diego from east to west, creating a river valley that serves to divide the city into northern and southern segments. During

9095-568: The mission proper. Mission San Diego was the southern anchor in Alta California of the historic mission trail El Camino Real . Both the Presidio and the Mission are National Historic Landmarks . In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain , and San Diego became part of the Mexican territory of Alta California . In 1822, Mexico began its attempt to extend its authority over the coastal territory of Alta California. The fort on Presidio Hill

9202-559: The n denoting summer fog) or a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ). San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters, with most of the annual precipitation falling between December and March. The city has a mild climate year-round, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F (21 °C) and low rainfall (9–13 inches [230–330 mm] annually). The climate in San Diego, like most of Southern California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances, resulting in microclimates . In San Diego, this

9309-520: The north constitute one of only two locations where the rare species of Torrey Pine, Pinus torreyana , is found. Due to the steep topography that prevents or discourages building, along with some efforts for preservation, there are also a large number of canyons within the city limits that serve as nature preserves, including Switzer Canyon , Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, and Marian Bear Memorial Park in San Clemente Canyon , as well as

9416-416: The north lies Mission Valley and Interstate 8 . The communities north of the valley and freeway, and south of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , include Clairemont , Kearny Mesa , Tierrasanta , and Navajo . Stretching north from Miramar are the northern suburbs of Mira Mesa , Scripps Ranch , Rancho Peñasquitos , and Rancho Bernardo . The far northeast portion of the city encompasses Lake Hodges and

9523-635: The number of bird species observed in the annual Christmas Bird Count , sponsored by the Audubon Society , and it is known as one of the "birdiest" areas in the United States. San Diego and its backcountry suffer from periodic wildfires. In October 2003, San Diego was the site of the Cedar Fire , at that time the largest wildfire in California over the past century. The fire burned 280,000 acres (1,100 km ), killed 15 people, and destroyed more than 2,200 homes. In addition to damage caused by

9630-401: The original façades to retain the architectural style. The menagerie of exotic animals featured at the 1915 exposition provided the basis for the San Diego Zoo . During the 1950s there was a citywide festival called Fiesta del Pacifico highlighting the area's Spanish and Mexican past. In the 2010s there was a proposal for a large-scale celebration of the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park, but

9737-520: The plans were abandoned when the organization tasked with putting on the celebration went out of business. The southern portion of the Point Loma peninsula was set aside for military purposes as early as 1852. Over the next several decades the Army set up a series of coastal artillery batteries and named the area Fort Rosecrans . Significant U.S. Navy presence began in 1901 with the establishment of

9844-447: The population was Hispanic or Latino (of any race); 24.9% of the total population was of Mexican heritage, 1.4% Spanish and 0.6% Puerto Rican . The median age of Hispanic residents was 27.5 years, compared to 35.1 years overall and 41.6 years among non-Hispanic whites; Hispanic San Diegans were the largest group under the age of 18, while non-Hispanic whites constituted 63.1% of population 55 and older. As of January 2019 ,

9951-597: The presence of so many military installations and defense manufacturers. The city's population grew rapidly during and after World War II, more than doubling between 1930 (147,995) and 1950 (333,865). During the final months of the war, the Japanese had a plan to target multiple U.S. cities for biological attack , starting with San Diego. The plan was called " Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night " and called for kamikaze planes filled with fleas infected with plague ( Yersinia pestis ) to crash into civilian population centers in

10058-424: The region, including the village of Kosa'aay which was the Kumeyaay village that the future settlement of San Diego would stem from in today's Old Town . The village of Kosa'aay was made up of thirty to forty families living in pyramid-shaped housing structures and was supported by a freshwater spring from the hillsides. The first European to visit the region was explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , sailing under

10165-400: The rules of the House and (to a lesser extent) the Senate. The rules are meant "to ensure that substantive and financial issues are subjected to separate and independent analysis." However, these rules are often not followed. The two types of bills – authorization bills and appropriations bills – are separated into the jurisdiction of different committees. Appropriations bills are handled by

10272-639: The south was led by the soldier Fernando Rivera and included the Franciscan missionary, explorer, and chronicler Juan Crespí , followed by a second party led by the designated governor Gaspar de Portolà and including the mission president (and now saint) Junípero Serra . In May 1769, Portolà established the Presidio of San Diego on a hill near the San Diego River above the Kumeyaay village of Cosoy, which would later become incorporated into

10379-412: The threat of legal consequences appears to have played a role in the reduction. In 2000 there were 451,126 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. Households made up of individuals account for 28.0%, and 7.4% had someone living alone who

10486-571: The town every night. The Californios drove cattle away from the pueblo hoping to starve the Americans and their Californio supporters out. On December 1, the American garrison learned that the dragoons of General Stephen W. Kearney were at Warner's Ranch . Commodore Robert F. Stockton sent a mounted force of fifty under Captain Archibald Gillespie to march north to meet him. Their joint command of 150 men, returning to San Diego, encountered about 93 Californios under Andrés Pico . In

10593-493: The urban core. According to data from the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the number of individuals living outside or in vehicles has reached a two-year low, standing at approximately 1,200 as of last month. The decrease is attributed to the implementation of the city's camping ban and the concerted efforts to establish new shelters. While enforcement has led to relatively few individuals being punished,

10700-460: The vote. Beyond the town, Mexican land grants expanded the number of California ranchos that modestly added to the local economy. (See, List of pre-statehood mayors of San Diego .) However, San Diego had been losing population throughout the 1830s, due to increasing tension between the settlers and the indigenous Kumeyaay and in 1838 the town lost its pueblo status because its size dropped to an estimated 100 to 150 residents. The ranchos in

10807-561: The water at Scripps Pier in the California Current has increased by almost 3 °F (1.7 °C) since 1950, according to scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography . Additionally, the mean minimum is now above 40 °F (4 °C), putting San Diego in hardiness zone 11, with the last freeze having occurred many decades ago. Annual rainfall along the coast averages 10.65 inches (271 mm) and

10914-469: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.30. Authorization bill#Authorization-appropriation process An authorization bill is a type of legislation used in the United States to authorize the activities of the various agencies and programs that are part of the federal government of the United States . Authorizing such programs

11021-496: Was completed in 1991. The downtown skyline contains no supertall buildings due to a regulation put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the 1970s, which set a 500 feet (152 m) limit on the height of buildings within a one-mile (1.6 km) radius of San Diego International Airport . An iconic description of the skyline includes its skyscrapers being compared to the tools of

11128-448: Was elected the first mayor. Two years later the city was bankrupt; the California legislature revoked the city's charter and placed it under control of a board of trustees, where it remained until 1889. A city charter was reestablished in 1889, and today's city charter was adopted in 1931. The original town of San Diego was located at the foot of Presidio Hill, in the area which is now Old Town San Diego State Historic Park . The location

11235-410: Was gradually abandoned, while the town of San Diego grew up on the level land below Presidio Hill. The Mission was secularized by the Mexican government in 1834 , and most of the Mission lands were granted to former soldiers. The 432 residents of the town petitioned the governor to form a pueblo , and Juan María Osuna was elected the first alcalde ("municipal magistrate"), defeating Pío Pico in

11342-556: Was made up of 299 miles of vehicle barriers and 350 miles of pedestrian fence. The fencing includes a steel fence (varying in height between 18 and 26 feet) that divides the border towns of Nogales, Arizona in the U.S. and Nogales, Sonora in Mexico. A 2016 report by the Government Accountability Office confirmed that the government had completed the fence by 2015. A 2017 GAO report noted: "In addition to

11449-440: Was not ideal, being several miles away from navigable water at its port at La Playa . In 1850, William Heath Davis promoted a new development by the bay shore called "New San Diego", several miles south of the original settlement; however, for several decades the new development consisted only of a pier, a few houses and an Army depot for the support of Fort Yuma . After 1854, the fort became supplied by sea and by steamboats on

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