Thread: Immigrant center hits record number of migrants staying overnight

New tent pitched for immigrant influx

McALLEN — A recent immigrant influx and changes in immigration policy could be to blame for the unprecedented influx of overnight stays last month at a local relief center.

The immigrant relief center, which Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley opened 14 months ago at Sacred Heart Church downtown, saw nearly three times the average number of immigrants staying overnight over the last 30 days.

This recent increase has changed the way the center processes migrants and prompted Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of CCRGV, to request an additional tent, which was installed last week by city workers.

“It’s definitely put a strain on our resources,” Pimentel said. “This is a respite center and what we want is to take care for their immediate needs and they move on. So if they stay overnight, we need

to work additional hours and we need additional help to take care of them.”

A total of 762 migrants spent the night at the center in July, 29 percent more than at the peak of last year’s surge, according to the latest data from CCRGV.

Pimentel said they began noticing families arriving at the center without bus tickets starting in late June. She said there was also an increase in men coming through the center, which prompted

her to expedite the installment of the new 25-by-35-foot tent which can accommodate about 35 people.

“The extra tent is just to be prepared,” Pimentel said. “We’ve always needed the extra space, but the main factor recently was the increase in fathers. I wanted to make sure we made that

separation between them and the women and children.”

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement routinely coordinates release plans and travel arrangements with family members of people being released from custody in the Rio Grande Valley, but

in recent instances ICE failed to confirm these plans, according to a statement from agency spokeswoman Nina Pruneda.

At the border, agents are also seeing an increase in illegal crossers. Border Patrol agents held a briefing Aug. 3 at their Rio Grande Valley Sector Headquarters to inform local entities and

stakeholders of a recent uptick in unaccompanied minors and families from Central America coming across from Mexico illegally.

Recently, 750 people were apprehended in one day, according to Border Patrol spokesman Omar Zamora. He said they are seeing an average of 250 to 300 people more than in the recent

months. He attributes this recent uptick to the summer months and said it is nowhere close to the nearly 1,500 daily apprehensions they were seeing at the same time last year.

“It’s not alarming for us. It’s something that we expected to see, but at the same time it is something that we are going to keep a pulse on,” Zamora said. “If we do see an increase, we want to

make sure we don’t get caught off guard.”

Since last year’s surge, Border Patrol has increased their capacity to process immigrants in McAllen and focused on keeping law enforcement and other key players informed, Zamora said.

New tent pitched for immigrant influx - The Monitor: News

Originally Posted by European Knight

New tent pitched for immigrant influx

McALLEN — A recent immigrant influx and changes in immigration policy could be to blame for the unprecedented influx of overnight stays last month at a local relief center.

The immigrant relief center, which Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley opened 14 months ago at Sacred Heart Church downtown, saw nearly three times the average number of immigrants staying overnight over the last 30 days.

This recent increase has changed the way the center processes migrants and prompted Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of CCRGV, to request an additional tent, which was installed last week by city workers.

“It’s definitely put a strain on our resources,” Pimentel said. “This is a respite center and what we want is to take care for their immediate needs and they move on. So if they stay overnight, we need

to work additional hours and we need additional help to take care of them.”

A total of 762 migrants spent the night at the center in July, 29 percent more than at the peak of last year’s surge, according to the latest data from CCRGV.

Pimentel said they began noticing families arriving at the center without bus tickets starting in late June. She said there was also an increase in men coming through the center, which prompted

her to expedite the installment of the new 25-by-35-foot tent which can accommodate about 35 people.

“The extra tent is just to be prepared,” Pimentel said. “We’ve always needed the extra space, but the main factor recently was the increase in fathers. I wanted to make sure we made that

separation between them and the women and children.”

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement routinely coordinates release plans and travel arrangements with family members of people being released from custody in the Rio Grande Valley, but

in recent instances ICE failed to confirm these plans, according to a statement from agency spokeswoman Nina Pruneda.

At the border, agents are also seeing an increase in illegal crossers. Border Patrol agents held a briefing Aug. 3 at their Rio Grande Valley Sector Headquarters to inform local entities and

stakeholders of a recent uptick in unaccompanied minors and families from Central America coming across from Mexico illegally.

Recently, 750 people were apprehended in one day, according to Border Patrol spokesman Omar Zamora. He said they are seeing an average of 250 to 300 people more than in the recent

months. He attributes this recent uptick to the summer months and said it is nowhere close to the nearly 1,500 daily apprehensions they were seeing at the same time last year.

“It’s not alarming for us. It’s something that we expected to see, but at the same time it is something that we are going to keep a pulse on,” Zamora said. “If we do see an increase, we want to

make sure we don’t get caught off guard.”

Since last year’s surge, Border Patrol has increased their capacity to process immigrants in McAllen and focused on keeping law enforcement and other key players informed, Zamora said.

New tent pitched for immigrant influx - The Monitor: News

well i will say one thing they have it better then the usa has it
our lady & man & baby don't have that/ CLOSE THE SB BORDER DOWN

US has all over thousands of little Calais