Mexican families open homes to migrants waiting to cross US border
By Abraham Pineda
Matamoros, Mexico, Nov 23 (EFE).- Residents of the Mexican border city of Matamoros have taken in migrants who are stranded amid cold weather fronts and out-of-capacity shelters.
The families have offered to host migrants waiting outside of the overwhelmed shelter Casa del Migrante San Juan Diego, who have had to endure low temperatures over the last few days.
Due to the overcrowding at the shelter, children and adults have had to wait outside, in the rain, without adequate clothing to protect them from the cold.
Ofelia Pérez, a local resident, told Efe in an interview that she decided to make room in her home to shelter around 20 people, especially those who were traveling with children.
“I don’t charge them anything, I told them they can stay here and just pay for food because I won’t be able to afford it,” she said.
Temperatures in the north of Tamaulipas state have dropped to 7 degrees, but the rain and heavy winds have made it feel even colder for those who are exposed to the element while waiting to enter the US.
Rosario Rodríguez and her husband live down the street from the shelter and have also decided to take some of the migrants into their home.
Other Mexican homes have set up tents in their courtyards for asylum seekers to protect them from the inclement weather.
During the day, residents of Matamoros go to the area where the migrants gather to give them winter clothes, shoes, and plastic bags to wear to stay dry.
The migrants who have been taken in are grateful for the support they have received from the Matamoros locals.
“The lady found us one night when we had nowhere to sleep and offered us lodging. This is something that no one does and we are grateful for it,” said Antony Gerardo González, a Venezuelan migrant.
The immigration crisis in Matamoros has put a strain on shelters and available supplies due to
huge numbers of migrants waiting to cross into the US, which according to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reached record levels.
The CBP has detained roughly 2,766,582 undocumented immigrants this year, 85% of them on the southern border with Mexico. EFE
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