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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The first bus of unaccompanied migrant children arrived at a Houston-area shelter shortly after 6 p.m. on Friday night.
Federal authorities, community and faith leaders worked together for a few days to prepare the shelter that will house the children, which are all girls, at a facility being run by the National Association of Christian Churches.
The facility will have 500 beds. Authorities are asking local media not to identify the exact location of the shelter to protect the children’s safety.
The children were supposed to begin arriving on Thursday, but were delayed approximately 24 hours.
“It has been delayed,” said Karina Jimenez, an immigration lawyer who was planning to volunteer at the shelter on Saturday. “The transport of the migrants from the borders to the shelters is not anything from our control. We’re on standby to waiting to be called when needed.”
On Friday afternoon, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia toured the facility. She says it will have beds, medical facilities, and equipment to properly house and process the children.
“I had a good visit with the pastor and I assured him if there was anything he needed from my office, or any message that need to get to the White House, count on me,” said Rep. Garcia.
Federal authorities kept media far away from the process, but it was clear the bus transported a number of children.
Jimenez said she is prepared to volunteer and help the children to the immigration process.
“They really pull on your heart strings,” she said. “They are alone. Most don’t come with any parents. They are very brave. They’re fleeing from terrible conditions in their country.”
On Thursday night, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee toured the facility. She traveled to El Paso last month.
“I spoke to a child who had been in the desert for 12 days. Every child that I spoke to, these were girls, and they were under 14, had crossed the Rio Grande at night,” the congresswoman recalled. “Every one of them had that frightening experience.”
There are 10 migrant housing facilities in total; nine are in Texas and one is in San Diego.
The largest holding center is at Fort Bliss near El Paso, with 5,000 beds. The one in Houston is on the smaller side with 500 beds.
Here are the details for all nine Texas centers:
- Carrizo Springs – 500 beds
- Carrizo Springs – 952 beds
- Fort Bliss – 5,000 beds
- Dallas – 2,300 beds
- Houston- 500 beds
- Midland – 700 beds
- Pecos – 2,000 beds
- San Antonio – 2,400 beds
- San Antonio – 350 beds
All 10 centers combined will have about 13,000 beds.
Video inside some holding centers shows overcrowding, not enough beds, toiletries or access to medical services.
Desiree Salinas with Houston Catholic Charities is helping dozens of migrant children, families, and asylum seeking immigrants here in Houston. She expects the number of migrants needing help to continue to rise, so they’re ramping up resources.
“All hands on deck kind of redistributing some resources, refocusing some different staff,” she said.
The White House says it will be following all Centers for Disease Control guidelines when it comes to the pandemic and will be testing all children for COVID-19.