“Please help us:” Migrants on El Paso streets turn to the community for help

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – In recent weeks the borderland has seen a new surge of migrants entering our region and across the nation’s borders.

According to a spokesperson with the City, over the last seven days the region has seen a spike in encounters at the border averaging over 1,200 per day.

Migrants can be seen in several parts of the city, including Northeast El Paso, where the city has rented out a motel to help house migrants.

Still many can be seen asking for money along Dyer street with signs reading “Please support me to complete my ticket.”

According to District Four City Representative, Joe Molinar, within the last month he said he has seen many migrants pop up around his district.

Molinar said while many are staying in hotels, some are going to shopping malls or fast food restaurants to beg for money.

“They're not staying inside the hotel room. They are out in the streets. They are begging for food, they're begging for money, They're begging for work,” said Molinar. “You have fathers looking, you know, carrying these babies covered with a towel. They don't have a carrier for a baby. They don't have a stroller for a baby. It's not the right thing to do. You have men congregating.”

Migrants ABC-7 spoke to say they are able to stay in the motel but are later asked to leave, and end up on the street.

They say they have to resort to asking the public for money in order to continue onto their next destination because they are not allowed to work in the U.S. without permission.

“We came here fighting, we don’t have someone to help us. I ask people from the heart to help us,” said Eban Loor, migrant from Ecuador.