This project argues that the forced removal of the Barona and Viejas bands of Kumeyaay significantly affected their economic stability. The acquisition of Indigenous water rights by San Diego County forced the Kumeyaay onto inhospitable, rocky land that was poorly suited to agriculture. Below is U.S. Census data that shows how the ‘El Capitan’ act and subsequent forced relocation caused Kumeyaay tribal members to leave the reservations to make ends meet.

The population loss by the Kumeyaay compared to the population growth of San Diego provides further insight into the economic impact the forced relocation had on the Barona and Viejas Reservations. The following two graphs separate San Diego’s population growth by race to demonstrate that both white and non-white populations experienced tremendous growth over the same period.