Migrant families are surrendering to Eagle Pass authorities in hopes of reaching San Antonio
Eagle Pass has become the first stop for migrants journeying to Martha's Vineyard. This little town in Texas has become a popular entry point for asylum seekers from Central and South America. Amongst these individuals are innocent immigrants sent by Florida's Governor, Ron DeSantis, last week.
This immigrant batch was sent after an unidentified woman, “Perla," assured them they’d be offered jobs when they reached their destination. On Sunday, a Venezuelan family retired to Eagle Pass's authorities after traveling through the Rio Grande for over a month.
Unfortunately, the situation is the same for many families like this one. Here's more on this matter.
What are some troubles migrants are facing?
Migrants moving to Eagle Pass and other areas are at risk of scams from political opportunists. These innocent people leave their homes without any resources or money, hoping for a better life.
They’re truly at the mercy of free offers such as transportation. Domingo Garcia, the president of LULAC—the League of United Latin American Citizens—shares that if you're a migrant with no help, you're an easy target for politicians who will exploit you, just like DeSantis did—he sent 48 immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
To warn migrants of these dangers, Garcia and other individuals traveled to the border.
The migrants must reach San Antonio, an aid center for newcomers to the country, to leave Texas. Most of DeSantis's migrant batch included Venezuelans, Garcia said, and received the offer of complimentary flights.
According to DeSantis, he employed taxpayer capital as airfare to get those migrants to Martha's Vineyard from San Antonio to ensure they didn't end up in Florida. He further added that at least 40% of these individuals wanted to move to Florida. However, the majority of the people on the bus said New York was their preferred destination.
Many individuals who got onto the flight DeSantis arranged reported that "Perla" met them in San Antonio's migrant aid center, promising jobs and offering accommodation and food. This woman then arranged two flights to help them move to Martha’s Vineyard.
Where did the migrants on the flight come from?
The migrants were fleeing Venezuela due to its worsening economy under the administration of a left-wing populist, Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. accused him of corruption and narco-terrorism. This year, there has been a rise in the number of Venezuelans entering the United States.
In July, over 17,000 Venezuelans moved to the U.S., that's triple the number in May. Many of them pass via Panama's perilous Darien Gap rainforest region, where they're at risk of falling victim to criminal gang attacks, diseases, etc. Del Rio Sector, including Eagle Pass, has witnessed huge migrant traffic.
Once these migrants reach the borders, they seek asylum, where they must prove they aren’t safe in their homelands. After that, they’re free to live in the U.S while waiting for a hearing.
Migrants provide the authorities with addresses in the U.S. so they can contact them. Busing or flying migrants to different states can complicate the case and make it challenging to schedule court dates.
Unfortunately, the circumstances they face are far more challenging.
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