As part of their ongoing assistance to the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered a check for $15,000 for the Coalition’s operating expenses. The Coalition is made of congregants from several churches in the Del Rio area. The Coalition seeks to serve families entering the United States to await adjudication of their requests for asylum. The Coalition, in cooperation with the City of Del Rio, provides families, seeking asylum with much needed help. The families are transported to the facility by the local border patrol. The families are then provided with a shower and bathroom facilities, food and drink, personal hygiene supplies, and assistance with contacting their sponsors in the US. After an orientation, they also receive any needed counseling, and help arranging transportation to San Antonio. From San Antonio, they will obtain passage to other cities to meet their designated sponsors – typically family members already residing in the United States.
As part of this assistance, the Salvation Army provides portable showers and bathrooms. A food truck, serving a hot meal, is provided by the Salvation Army and Samaritan’s Purse, an international charity that provides help to displaced people throughout the world. The Coalition provides families with personal supplies, water and food for their trip inland. These legal immigrants represent a mix of nationalities and languages. Spanish, French and Portuguese are the typical languages spoken. Some come speaking other languages or dialects. Church members have provided translation services when needed.
Most families are at the Del Rio facility for less than a day before their transportation to San Antonio is secured. Some, who arrive late in the day, sleep on cots overnight in a comfortable shelter provided by the Coalition. Very few stay longer.
The Church previously delivered two semi-truckloads of water and hygiene kits to aid the Coalition.
The Coalition helps an average of 100 people per day with the transition from the border crossing to other parts of the United States where they stay while their requests for asylum are being reviewed and legally considered.
The Church’s full time missionaries and other members provide volunteer services at the processing center run by the Coalition.
Latter-day Saints are also working with Mission: Border Hope, in Eagle Pass, in response to their request for assistance from the Church. Mission: Border Hope provides similar services to refugee families (averaging about 200 immigrants per day) entering the United States, seeking asylum, through the border crossing at Eagle Pass.