The Independent View: ICE Drops Large Migrant Groups at Bus Stations

Dozens of Migrant Families were Dropped off at a Phoenix Greyhound Bus Station with No idea where to go or what to do. Immigration Advocates say that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) dropped off the Migrants at the Bus Station because Local Churches could Not take them in. About 70 People were dropped off by ICE since they can only hold Families for 20 Days.

Since they were dropped off, all of the Families have been Picked up after about 30 of them who remained thought they'd would be spending the Night at the Bus Station. Churches in the Area that have been taking in Migrants for the past few months appear to have been Full, but Monte Vista Baptist Church near 36th Street and Thomas Road was able to take them in.

Immigration Advocates say the Migrants had No Food, Money, or any way to Contact their Families. They will also take in more than 100 People who are Scheduled to be Dropped off at the same Bus Station on Friday.

In Texas, 100 Migrants are dropped off at Leon St. and Overland Ave. and were being Temporarily Housed at the former Rock House Cafe and Gallery, 400 W Overland Ave., said Dylan Corbett, Executive Director of the Hope Border Institute. "ICE gave us a heads up about an hour or two ago that we were going to get 200 folks Downtown," Corbett said. "This group right now is about 100, so we don't know if we are going to get another 100 or if this is it for the day."

The Migrants are getting Food and Water as they wait for their Buses to take them to their Sponsors, Corbett said. They will stay with their Sponsors as their Asylum Cases remain Pending.

"Right now, we are trying to find them space for the night," Corbett said. "A place where they can sleep, make phone calls to their contacts or relatives in other parts of the country. Most of these folks are on route to another part of the country. They are not staying here in El Paso. They want to go to their sponsor or family members in other parts of the country. They just need a place for the night."

While Shelter has been found for the 100 People dropped off Christmas afternoon, Corbett said, the Search continues for Places to Stay for any other Migrants who might be left Downtown later.

Annunciation House Director Ruben Garcia said the Nonprofit Organization that helps Immigrants expected to receive about 200 Migrants in all on Christmas Day. Another 500 Migrants are expected both Wednesday and Thursday.

The Announcement of the expected arrival of more than 1,200 Migrants in the next few days comes after Hundreds of Migrants were dropped off at the Downtown El Paso Greyhound Bus Station over the weekend and on Monday. “By the end of the week, we are expected to have received more than 2,000 migrants,” Garcia said.

U.S. Rep.-elect Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso), called the Government's Action "unacceptable.” “I have a number of concerns,” Escobar said. “CBP back in 2016 used to create temporally holding facilities that were humane, safe and clean, so that migrants during times of a surge wouldn’t be left on the street. Federal law enforcement has long collaborated with the Annunciation House, so they know exactly what the capacity is here in the community.”

Escobar, who spent Christmas Day helping make Meals for the Migrants, added: “The federal government has an obligation to assist and not just leave people out in the cold, which is what they did yesterday and what they did the day before when they left people at and around the Greyhound bus station and that is what they did in October. That is unacceptable. Simply ridding itself of migrants is not a solution.”

Federal Law Enforcement Officials said the Reason they No Longer create Temporary Housing was because “it was too difficult,” Escobar said. “If they are able to create tent cities to jail children, then they should absolutely be able to construct the same kind of facilities as they did in 2016 to assist the migrants,” Escobar said. "The federal government needs to step up and dumping people out on the streets is not stepping up,” Escobar said.