Influx of immigrants abandoned by ICE arrive at local organizations

For several months, there have been many stories about the humanitarian and operational crisis at the border.

In order to manage the unprecedented number of people in custody, Customs and Border Patrol are transporting hundreds of families by bus and aircraft from processing facilities to locations along the southwest border.

Here in the Coachella Valley, organizations have been dealing with immigrants being dropped off at their doorstep.

Despite an influx of people coming to the doorsteps of some local non-profits asking for help Gloria Gomez, the director of the Galilee Center in Mecca, says she still wouldn’t go as far as to say they are overwhelmed.

“At this point I have no idea. We’re trying to control ourselves. How many we can receive because the first priority is the farm workers. This is the chapter for the farm workers and we’re in the season,” Gomez said.

News Channel 3 spoke with one family traveling from Guatemala seeking shelter at the Galilee Center. It took Romeo Hernandez and his 15-year-old son Oscar Romeo 12 days to come to the United States. Oscar wants to study and work here. Both say the trip was extremely difficult.

“We suffered a lot. We were starving. We were sleeping in the rubbish that touched in the trash. It’s that bad,” Oscar said.

The Hernandez’s final destination is New York. Oscar said there is a lot to consider when deciding to make the trip.

We’re lucky because we had the opportunity so many do not but if you don’t have the desire, don’t come because you’re going to cry,” Oscar said.

The Galilee Center in Mecca is asking for blankets and toiletries to help with the influx of people temporairaly staying there.