Volunteering at the Southern Border

southern border - Mormon Women for Ethical Government

The U.S. has seen an unprecedented surge of asylum seekers along our southern border in the past several months. Most come through the process weary and confused. They carry no personal possessions and require assistance to carry on with their travels. Respite centers in key border towns have become safe and welcoming shelters for these vulnerable people.

Rio Grande Valley Catholic Charities Respite Center in McAllen, Texas, for instance, offers a hot meal and clean water, basic hygiene necessities, a fresh set of clothing, and access to medicine and basic medical attention for those in need. Families can enjoy a hot meal together in the dining hall. There are spacious areas for children to play, and places for people to rest and recover. There are staff and volunteers on hand to answer questions, efficiently facilitate travel arrangements, and effectively accommodate particular needs. While not perfect, these centers offer relief and compassion.

Currently, these centers stand empty.

Rio Valley Relief Project was organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation in 2018 to support respite centers like the one in McAllen by providing volunteers and carefully sorted donations. We have witnessed firsthand the effects of this administration’s new “remain in Mexico” policy, or Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), which now requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while they go through the rigorous and sometimes lengthy asylum process. Historically, individuals and families could present themselves at the border to explain why they sought refuge in the U.S.

We reached out to Team Brownsville, a wonderful organization that has helped enormously to coordinate volunteer efforts. They cross over the border daily to bring supplies and food for the 500+ people waiting for an appointment and camping out on the Mexican side, in Matamoros. Along with a handful of other volunteers, we cooked and prepared food in the U.S. and carried it over in wagons to serve.

The people we met in Matamoros had no food besides what we brought. Temperatures were in the high 90s with heavy humidity. People were very thirsty and uncomfortable. We were told that drinking water was brought to them two or three times a day, but it was evident that they needed much more.

There was not a lot of shade over the concrete and dirt lots where people had to camp. Families are living in donated tents, but there are not enough to go around, so many find themselves sleeping on the ground. There were sick and fevered children but no medical clinic. Many children had no clothing. We saw a pair of 2-month-old infant twins lying outside a tent on the ground because it was too hot for them to be inside.

We saw no security or police presence. Additionally, there were no sanitation facilities — only a handful of poorly maintained portable toilets and a few dumpsters. Some people were bathing in a dirty river that runs nearby, but many would not, for fear of getting sick. Instead, they opted to use diaper wipes to clean their faces and hands.

These asylum seekers are confused, exhausted, and helpless. They wish to provide for their families without reliance on volunteer aid and donations. The situation is tenuous and unsustainable. We observed no national or international aid agencies during our visit, only private individuals with limited privately sourced donations. All we could do was give baggies of measured infant powdered milk, baby carriers, yoga mats, and the few tents we had. There were areas we were told to avoid because they were too dangerous and we could not stay late into the evening. We felt great concern for the most vulnerable of this makeshift community. We were shocked that such a large group of people has been neglected despite the resources available so closeby.

This does not appear to be a temporary problem. We were informed that many people who have obtained court appointments are being returned with new court dates as late as April of next year, which means these families will spend their winter camping unless a drastic change occurs. We saw the tent courts as we crossed the border into Mexico. We were told the hearings now occur in secret and observers are barred, though it should be noted we do not have firsthand knowledge of this. Some, perhaps, will decide in desperation to begin the long trek back to their home countries, but this time with no saved money or help.

If we may add our two bits: These people have come to our border with the understanding that they would be granted due process and a fair hearing per our long-standing laws. They now find themselves on the wrong side of a closed door with no resources and few legal options. They are cut off from basic human needs like running water, shelter, food, medical care, and safety and are being ignored and disregarded in their suffering. And there is a lot of suffering. They are dehumanized. The Migrant Protection Protocols program forces vulnerable asylum-seeking families to live in desperate conditions in dangerous Mexican border cities while awaiting court hearings in the U.S.

The MPP does not protect migrants; it endangers them.