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Texas migrant shelters are empty amid immigration crackdown

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feeds.texastribune.org – By Berenice Garcia – 2025-02-14 05:00:00

Texas migrant shelters are nearly empty after Trump’s actions effectively shut the border

Texas migrant shelters are nearly empty after Trump’s actions effectively shut the border” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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McALLEN — Migrant shelters that helped nearly a thousand asylum seekers per day at the height of migrant crossings just a few years ago are now nearly empty.

The shelters mostly along the Texas-Mexico border reported a plunge in the number of people in their care since the Trump administration effectively closed the border to asylum seekers in January. Some expect to close by the end of the month.

McAllen officials reported an average of fewer than 12 people arriving at the respite center run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley this month and are on track to have fewer than 350 people in February. In January, the respite center received a total of 3,188 people.

The asylum seekers who arrive at these shelters are dropped off by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after they have been processed by immigration officials and given a notice to appear in immigration court at a later date.

The staff at the shelters provide food, a place to stay, and other necessities until the migrants move on to their final destination in the U.S.

Annunciation House, an El Paso-based migrant shelter network, has a total of about 40 people at the shelters, according to Ruben Garcia, director of the organization.

[Trump’s mass deportation plans have echoes of a 1950s federal crackdown that swept through Texas]

Because of the small number of people in their shelters, only four of the more than 20 facilities in their network are in operation. Garcia said he will likely close more by the end of the month, keeping only one or two open.

But most of those sites were closed last year, Garcia said, as the number of migrant arrivals began to dwindle under the Biden administration. This was partly due to the Mexican government’s efforts to crack down on immigration but also former President Joe Biden’s executive order last summer that did not allow people to apply for asylum if they entered the country between ports of entry.

When Biden was still in office, Annunciation House received a daily average of 250 to 300 people which Garcia said was low for the shelter.

“Even before the election, the numbers were already significantly down,” Garcia said.

Another El Paso shelter, Casa del Sagrado Corazon, also saw fewer arrivals last year, prompting the closure of their shelter in September, according to Michael Debruhl, the shelter director.

A shelter in San Antonio, the Migrant Resource Center, stopped accepting new migrants last week due to low numbers.

At the respite center in McAllen run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the low number of people had led to staff cuts even before they received notice they would no longer receive funds from the federal government.

Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of RGV Catholic Charities, said she received notice on Jan. 30 that the center would no longer be compensated for the shelter’s expenses as they had been through the Shelter and Services Program.

Congress established that federal program, which is run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, during Trump’s first term to reimburse local and state governments and nonprofits for providing emergency aid to migrants such as food and shelter.

“As it is, we were already cutting down staff because we don’t have people come in anymore or the numbers are very, very low, like 10 or five,” Pimentel said.

Despite the loss in federal funds and the small number of people arriving at the shelter, Pimentel said the respite center will continue to be available to those who need it.

“We will continue to operate as long as there’s a need,” Pimentel said. “If there are people who we can help, the church will always be present to help.”

Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/14/texas-migrant-shelters-empty/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

News from the South - Texas News Feed

Fiesta de los Niños celebrates STEM learning and video games at Fiesta 2025

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www.youtube.com – KSAT 12 – 2025-04-27 22:14:14

SUMMARY: Fiesta de los Niños at Fiesta 2025 celebrates STEM through engaging activities for kids, including video games and technology. The event, held at Port San Antonio, emphasizes the fusion of tradition and innovation, inspiring creativity in children like nine-year-old Josiah Gonzalez. Despite facing challenges related to his disabilities, Josiah finds solace in gaming, which enhances his focus and creativity. The event features free activities such as driving simulators and augmented reality, aiming to make STEM accessible to all kids. Josiah’s mom highlights its positive impact, noting that one event can significantly influence a child’s future.

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Thousands of families celebrated this year’s Fiesta with a science twist at Fiesta de los Niños.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Search Continues for Driver Who Ran Over Two Teenage Girls and Drove Off Without Helping

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www.youtube.com – KPRC 2 Click2Houston – 2025-04-27 22:04:50

SUMMARY: Authorities are searching for a driver who struck two teenage girls on separate bicycles early this morning on Airline Drive in West Mount Houston and fled the scene. Surveillance footage captured the incident, showing a 2008 Black Audi hitting the girls around 3:00 a.m., reversing, and potentially hitting one of them again before driving away. Both girls, aged 15, are from the local neighborhood and are hospitalized, one in critical condition and the other serious. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reports that they have identified the suspect vehicle, but the driver remains unknown. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

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Two teenagers were injured after being struck by a driver who fled the scene.
Surveillance images show several other cars driving by without stopping to help.
The incident occurred at the corner of Airline and West Mount Houston at around 1:45 a.m. Sunday morning.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Starting Monday, Cy Fair ISD restarting more than a dozen school bus routes that were cut

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www.youtube.com – KHOU 11 – 2025-04-27 21:27:01

SUMMARY: Starting Monday, Cy Fair ISD will reinstate 16 school bus routes that were previously cut due to budget constraints. Last June, the district limited bus access based on student distances from schools, disqualifying many. This reinstatement is seen as a positive move towards enhancing student safety, particularly for families like Katherine Robinson’s, where her daughter was without bus access. Although there are only five weeks left in the school year, parents are relieved. A pay increase for bus drivers has enabled this change, with hopes for more routes in the future. It’s a significant step forward for student transportation.

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Last year, the cut nearly 80 routes, affecting close to 30,000 students. Now some of those routes are coming back.

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