Surge in Migrants at Mexico Border... Residents Open Doors to Provide Shelter

Residents of Matamoros Help Refugees and Asylum Seekers Stranded by Cold Snap
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Records Historic Number of Migrants Seeking Entry

On the 13th (local time), immigrants were heading toward the U.S. border near San Pedro Tapanatepec, Mexico. Photo by Reuters

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Sung-wook] Residents of Matamoros, a border city in Mexico, have taken in migrants stranded without shelter amid a cold wave.

According to EFE news agency on the 23rd (local time), in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, which faces the U.S. state of Texas across the border, the flow of Central and South American migrants trying to enter the United States continues. Many are refugees or asylum seekers from Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, and Haiti, including numerous families with children. They live under tents by the Rio Bravo riverside camp, waiting for U.S. entry permission, with only the sky above them.

The morning temperature in northern Tamaulipas drops to around 7 degrees Celsius, and with rain and strong winds, the perceived temperature is much lower. However, migrants, unable to wear adequate clothing due to overcrowded shelters, had to wait helplessly outside government offices in the rain. Ophelia Perez, a local resident, opened her home to about 20 families with children. Perez said, "I do not charge them anything," and stated she would provide part of her living space.

Other local residents also visit areas where migrants gather during the day to distribute winter clothes and shoes. They have even pitched tents in their yards to protect them from harsh weather. Regarding this, Venezuelan immigrant Antonio Gerardo Gonzalez said, "One day when we had nowhere to sleep, a resident found us and provided accommodation," adding, "No one had ever done that before, and I am very grateful."

Prior to these acts of kindness by residents, some migrants staged collective actions demanding shelter and were dispersed by the National Guard. About 150 migrants reportedly stayed outside shelters for approximately 72 hours recently and broke into an immigration center demanding accommodation.

Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number of migrants waiting to cross into the United States has reached a record level. CBP detained about 2.76 million undocumented migrants this year, 85% of whom were at the southern border with Mexico. CBP stated, "The surge in migrants is putting a strain on shelters and available resources."