Page 2 - aruba-today-20220823

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 23 augusT 2022
Asylum seekers caught in political battle in NYC, Washington

Continued from Front

Abbott started the prac-
tice in April with Washing-
ton, and Doug Ducey fol-
lowed suit in May. Abbott
also recently began send-
ing buses to New York.
For migrants, the politics
are only dimly understood
— and far less relevant than
finding temporary shelter,
jobs and a long-term home
in America.
“I have heard that the
Texas governor is anti-im-
migrant,” Maldonado said
outside a New York shelter.
“It is like a war between
the party of the governor
of Texas and the party of
Biden.”
A voluntary consent form
for free transportation from
Texas tells migrants that
Washington is where the
president and members of
Congress “are more imme- Eduardo Garcia stands with crutches, surrounded by his family outside the Catholic Charities headquarters in New York, on Tuesday,
diately able to help address Aug. 16, 2022. Garcia limped nearly the entire journey from Venezuela to the U.S. after breaking his ankle on a mountain along the
the needs of migrants.” way.
Migrants who sign a con- Associated Press
sent form for a free trip to make sure that we support in her second request for cared more about getting of Venezuelan President
New York are told that the them as much as possible National Guard support, here,” he said. Nicolas Maduro because
city has designated itself a and make sure that they’re told Defense Secretary He told no one about his of allegations that the
“sanctuary” for migrants, not being used as political Lloyd Austin last week that fractured limb until he ar- country’s 2018 election was
who are provided with pawns,” Castro said. most migrants stay up to 72 rived in New York, where a sham. The lack of official
food and shelter. On a recent August day, hours before moving on to he got medical attention, recognition complicates
U.S. authorities stopped mi- a bus of 41 migrants from their final destinations. a cast and crutches. the country’s ability to take
grants 1.43 million times at Arizona arrived at a church “They don’t know much In New York, many of the back asylum-seekers. The
the Mexican border from in Washington’s Capitol Hill about D.C. other than the migrants make their way Mexican government also
January through July, up neighborhood, where they president is here,” Laborde to the offices of Catholic refuses to accept the mi-
28% from the same pe- were greeted by workers said. Charities. Officials in Texas grants, which gives the U.S.
riod last year. Many are from SAMU First Response, Kelin Enriquez, another Ven- — it is unclear who — listed few options in handling
released on humanitar- an international relief ezuelan, was among them. the office as the migrants’ Venezuelans.
ian parole or with notices agency. She and and her children address, which perplexed At a New York City shelter,
to appear in immigration Within minutes the group first arrived in Washington church officials at the New brothers Leonardo Oviedo,
court. was enjoying a hot meal and later found themselves York Diocese. The diocese 22, and Angel Mota, 19,
The sight of both cities inside the church and filling at a family center in the has now received more seemed giddy shortly after
scrambling to cope with out arrival forms. Bronx to plan the family’s than 1,300 court notices on arriving in New York. They
the influx drew undisguised Texas buses arrive haphaz- next steps. behalf of migrants. had plans to reconnect
schadenfreude from Ab- ardly, said Tatiana Laborde, “No one leaves their land “I think we were maybe with an acquaintance in
bott, who called New York the agency’s managing di- because they want to. We caught off guard, a little bit New Jersey.
City “the ideal destination rector. They only hear from want to work. We want a disappointed by the gov- Big plans lie ahead. Oviedo
for these migrants, who can charitable groups that a better opportunity,” said ernments in Texas and Ari- wants to land a job. Mota
receive the abundance of bus carrying a certain num- Enriquez, who helped care zona just putting individuals wants to attend school.
city services and housing ber of people has depart- for Alzheimer’s patients in on buses to D.C. without How they will accomplish
that Mayor Eric Adams has ed. At some point about 48 her native country. any plan at the other end,” their dreams was still un-
boasted about within the hours later, that bus drops Some migrants see a free said Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, certain as the pair swiped
sanctuary city.” off riders at Washington’s ticket from the border as executive director of mi- through photos of relatives
In both cities, social service Union Station. the best of bad options. grant services for Catholic they left behind in Venezu-
charities and churches Arizona provides detailed For Eduardo Garcia, the Charities in New York. ela, including their mother,
have mobilized to support manifests of passengers top priorities were finding a In the last two months, the grandmother, brother and
new arrivals, offering tem- and their nationalities, co- job and a place to live and procession of Venezuelans sister.
porary shelter, medical at- ordination on arrival times starting life anew. seeking refuge in the Unit- For now, neither brother
tention and often a ticket and has medical personnel It was an agonizing journey, ed States has grown dra- is especially concerned
to their next destination as aboard each bus. even if he hadn’t broken matically. In July, Border about the politics that
they await a date in immi- “They don’t want to just his left ankle while trying Patrol agents stopped Ven- brought them here.
gration court. dump people here,” to keep his wife from fall- ezuelans 17,603 times — up “We had nowhere to go,”
“Many are fleeing persecu- Laborde said. ing along the perilous trail. 34% from June and nearly Mota said outside a shel-
tion and other very severe Many of those who arrive He limped in pain for more triple from July 2021. ter on a sweltering summer
circumstances. They’re in Washington don’t stay than 1,000 miles. The United States does not morning. “This is where they
confused. And we want to long. Mayor Muriel Bowser, “I didn’t care because I recognize the government would welcome us.”q