(Note: This article originally ran on the Texas Tribune website in 2018 as controversy surrounded the separation of families crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. It has been updated in June 2019 amid growing reports about substandard conditions inside facilities holding immigrants.)
AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Migrant holding shelters around the nation have made headlines for their unsanitary — and sometimes dangerous — living conditions in recent months. At one facility in McAllen, there were reports of water that tasted like bleach and sick children without enough clothing. At another in El Paso, 250 infants, children and teens spent nearly a month without adequate food or water.
An unprecedented migrant surge has overwhelmed border patrol facilities and left processing centers strapped — leading to a fiery debate among advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on how to best handle the influx. One Texas Republican congressman said the condition of shelters in his state were the “worst” he’s even seen, while another Democratic member of Congress compared the taxpayer funded shelters to concentration camps.
More than 144,000 migrants were apprehended or denied entry into the U.S. last month — the largest number in 13 years. More than half of them were families with children and about 8% were unaccompanied minors. Last month, Texas shelters held more than 5,800 migrant children.
On Saturday, a Democratic state representative tweeted that border patrol officials told him that they were not accepting donations for immigrant children. Still, we’ve compiled a list of organizations that are mobilizing to try and help children that have been separated from their parents and asylum seekers at the Texas-Mexico border:
- American Gateways provides legal services and representation to detained parents. It’s currently seeking volunteers to represent low-income individuals and families.
- Annunciation House shelters families who were detained and separated by ICE on the El Paso/Juarez border.
- Baker Ripley’s team of immigration attorneys are providing free or low cost legal services throughout the Houston immigrant community.
- Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services says it’s the only full-service immigration legal aid clinic serving low-income immigrants and refugees in the southwestern U.S.
- Immigrant Families Together works to bond out asylum seekers and reunite them with their children. They also provide food to families and government and foster-agency approved housing to expedite reunifications. They are accepting donations.
- Immigrant Justice Now is working to provide supplies, like bus tickets, Pedialyte, shoes, prepaid cell phones and underwear, to immigrant families and children.
- Justice for Our Neighbors provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant individuals and families in Texas.
- Kids In Need of Defense partners with major law firms, corporations and bar associations to create a nationwide pro bono network to represent unaccompanied children through their immigration proceedings. Volunteers don’t need to have immigration law experience.
- La Posada Providencia in San Benito runs a shelter for people in the legal process of seeking asylum, residency or some other legal alternatives.
- The El Paso-based Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center provides legal representation to asylum seekers. It’s accepting donations.
- RAICES is a nonprofit that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families and refugees in Texas. It’s accepting donations and volunteers at its website.
- South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project is looking for volunteers and attorneys (even ones not experienced in immigration law) to provide legal services to asylum seekers detained in South Texas.
- La Posada Providencia in San Benito runs a shelter for people in the legal process of seeking asylum, residency or some other legal alternatives.
- The El Paso-based Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center provides legal representation to asylum seekers. It’s accepting donations.
- RAICES is a nonprofit that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families and refugees in Texas. It’s accepting donations and volunteers at its website.
- South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project is looking for volunteers and attorneys (even ones not experienced in immigration law) to provide legal services to asylum seekers detained in South Texas.
- Texas Civil Rights Project is looking for bilingual attorneys who can help represent detained and separated parents during their immigration proceedings.
- The Children’s Immigration Law Academy has pro bono attorneys representing children in immigration-related proceedings. It’s also providing specialized training to legal service providers and volunteers who’re serving unaccompanied immigrant children.
- The Human Rights Initiative of North Texas provides free legal services to immigrants who are seeking asylum in the U.S. and immigrants who are victims of violence.
- The Migrant Center for Human Rights is providing free and low-cost legal services for detained asylum seekers in Texas.
- The Thanks-Giving Foundation is taking volunteers and donations to help with the Oak Lawn Methodist Church Respite Center. The center is where some of the overflow asylum seekers are being sent from El Paso while on route to their families and sponsors in the U.S.
- The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is accepting donations which will go toward providing more child advocates for immigrant kids inside the detention centers weekly and accompany them to immigration proceedings.
- Together Rising is collecting money that’ll go toward defenders, prosecutors and advocates that are working to reunify immigrant children with their families.
