The Families

The Families,

   The families coming in the shelter have been on the road for an average of 4-6 weeks.  The high temperature here is always over 100 degrees.  In addition to their travel time they have been in the detention center for 3-7 days.  It is my understanding that there are four detention centers in this area.  All of them release the immigrants to the McAllen bus station.  At least one of the detention centers is a tent city.  If they had any possessions during their journey, they're gone by the time The Customs and Border Patrol agents drop them off at the bus station.  A volunteer from the respite center walks the families over to the center from the bus station which is across the street.  

    Before they are able to leave the detention center they are vetted by the US government.  The vetting process includes the immigrants having a sponsor to support them.  At this point they are released into the US to pursue their asylum claim.

   Upon entering the Respite Center they are welcomed (remember up until now they have been in a jail type setting).  Each family unit is given a welcome bag which includes individual tooth brushes, tooth paste, deodorant, comb and a small hand towel. They are told that the center is not a government organization and that the staff and volunteers are here to help them on their journey and that there are people here who will help them contact their sponsors.  If they want, their children can go to a play area while this registration process is going on.  They are offered shower facilities, food and a change of clothing including new underwear and socks.  At this point they have no belts and no shoelaces which were taken from them at the detention center  These people literally have nothing.  

   There are stacks of gym mats in the clothing area and people are free to put them on the cement floor and rest.  During the course of the day it is very common to see people sound asleep on the mats, individually or even families.  Today I walked past the area and as usual there was a group people  on the mats.  A woman was sleeping with a child between her bent knees and chin and two men were awake and reading bibles that were given to them at the welcome station.  It is very common to see nursing mothers in this area as well.  If they stay overnight, this is where they will sleep.  

    As a group, these people are exceedingly grateful and seemingly bone  tired.  If the Center can arrange for their transportation with their sponsor, the ideal is to have them leave the same day.  I don't think this happens too often but it's hard for me to tell.  

   Families are welcome to avail themselves to a free canteen-type area.  This area dispenses virtually every miscellaneous thing that the center offers, tissue, pieces of toilet paper (never whole rolls), shoelaces, crayons for the kids (they only get three), feminine hygiene, diapers, combs, shaving cream, razors, hair bands and Chapstick.