Migrant shelter in need amidst asylum-seeker surge
The Casa del Migrante hosts people making their way across borders. With the current migrant surge and more expected to arrive the shelter needs help.
We brought you news Friday of the cold weather forcing immigration authorities to clear the downtown bridge of nearly 200 asylum seekers. They have all been taken to Juarez’s main immigrant shelter as they wait to petition for asylum–the largest group of migrants this shelter has faced at once.
“The most people the Casa Del Migrante has had at once has been around one hundred people,” said Monica Machado, with the Casa Del Migrante.
They are now caring for around 250 people, the numbers only growing since Friday’s clearing of the downtown bridge, cold temperatures forcing the Mexican Red Cross to evacuate the bridge, holding everyone in the shelter.
Migrants will wait there for Customs and Border Protection to have room to process more claims, it could take weeks.
Around 20 migrants were dropped off at the bridge Sunday, one of the first groups to be called out of the shelter, but with hundreds still in their care, the Casa Del Migrante is struggling to provide for those waiting their turn.
“The state hasn’t provided support for migrant care, it’s all been donations from the public keeping the shelter afloat,” Machado said.
If you’d like to help the Casa Del Migrante you can help by donating materials they need.
-Clothes for all ages
-Brand new underwear
-Female hygiene
-Cleaning products
-Toilet paper
You can call the Casa Del Migrante to set up a donation drop off at +52 (656) 687-0676.
