Alfonso of Colombia said he was denied access from the Migrant Resource Center due to inability to fund his travel to Chicago. He’s now spending the night outside.
SAN ANTONIO — As thousands of migrants continue to make their way through San Antonio, many are stuck outside in the cold unable to seek shelter.
The overwhelmed Migrant Resource Center along San Pedro Avenue tries to accommodate as many people as possible, but dozens are faced with a frigid overnight reality on the streets.
Rosa Kuckle made two trips out to the center where she encountered desperate men, women and children crowding her car.
“It’s a crisis. Who’s not going to want to protect their child from the cold or from hunger,” Kuckle said. “All I can do is come out here, volunteer my time to help.”
Kuckle gifted warm relief for migrants coming from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador to name a few, in the form of blankets, jackets and food.
She’s witnessed how some of the migrants are spending the evenings outside instead of the Migrant Resource Center.
“Sleeping out here literally sometimes under trees. Anywhere they can really find shelter where they feel safe sometimes in like ditches,” Kuckle said.
One of those migrants she met was 25-year-old Alfonso from Colombia. His final destination is Chicago, but the struggle right now is simply feeling comfortable and staying warming.
“They’re saying from their experience from what they’ve been told is that if they don’t have the funds for their ticket to go to their destination, they’re not being allowed to stay there,” Kuckle said.
As funding to accommodate migrants in San Antonio runs out, there are those who believe the city and Catholic Charities would benefit from more collaboration with other non-profits in the community.
“Living by here three blocks away, I see it for myself and it is frustrating,” said Sonya Delagarza-Walker, president of LULAC 4290 (League of United Latin American Citizens Council). “I think that we can do better as a city, we can come together with the churches and the organizations like LULAC that are willing to help.”
Sandragrace Martinez has been documenting how many migrants are outside the Migrant Resource Center for at least the past 10 nights. Her goal of the point in time count is present the data to trusted leadership with the hopes of establishing a warming station possibly in the form of a bus.
“My biggest wish if you will is to have a warming station. They need to be out of the elements, especially the little ones,” Martinez said.
Catholic Charities was unable to accommodate an interview and did not respond to an emailed list of questions for the story.
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