By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
March was the busiest month yet in the history of the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition (VVBHC), with high numbers of immigrants expected throughout the rest of the year.
The VVBHC operates a migrant processing center in south Del Rio off Las Vacas Street. The center has been open since immigrants from around the world began moving through the community in 2019.
During March, the VVBHC, assisted 5,028 individuals from 33 countries, according to its Facebook page. The center’s busiest month prior to March was August 2021, when volunteers assisted 3,649 persons.
The 830 Times spoke with Tiffany Burrow, VVBHC director of operations at the center, earlier this week about the rising numbers and the center’s work.
“We started out still in high numbers, 2,200-plus in January, lower in February, and that’s traditional. It’s an unpredictable month. We had some weather days in there, and then March started kind of slow too. Then the second part of March really picked up,” Burrow said.
Burrow pointed out a number of changes that have occurred at the facility in recent months.
“Even just in the last six weeks, we’ve gotten new paint in our orientation room, freshened it up. We have a concrete pad that’s going in today, and that will be placed between the orientation room and the support building. The construction of the concrete pad was funded by private donations, and we’re very grateful that the city is allowing us to do this. The way it was just wasn’t functional, and we have a shade on top of it now as well,” Burrow said.
At the end of 2021, a playground was placed on the east side of the building, since many of the migrants passing through the center are children.
“This was from another one of our wonderful partnerships, with Church World Services. They provided that playground equipment for us. It’s been a magnet for all of the kids that come through, and it’s been fantastic to watch them on it and hear them and see their smiles and hear their laughter as they’re playing on it,” Burrow said.
She emphasized the VVBHC does not provide overnight accommodations to immigrants.
“And that’s not going to change,” she said.
There is also an on-site COVID testing team.
“They’ve been here since the end of September 2021, and they test everyone that comes through. It’s a rapid test. We know in one or two minutes,” Burrow said.
The flow of migrants is nearly constant, and Burrow and teams of volunteers adjust accordingly.
“We’ve had to fine-tune the process with these high numbers, but we are as prepared as we can be, and it’s a day-by-day mentality here,” Burrow said.
She said Greyhound now sends one full-size bus every morning to pick up immigrants on Holmig Street directly outside the building.
Immigrants who arrive at the VVBHC and who have cash are able to purchase bus tickets at the center.
“Our volunteers can purchase the tickets on the computer for them, and then in addition, we have a transport company representative on-site, and they manage the charter side of things,” Burrow said.
Burrow said charter buses stop at the facility every day.
“Last week we peaked at five charter buses in one day, but now we’re somewhere between three and four a day,” she said.
She emphasized once again the migrant processing center represents a brief, temporary stop for immigrants moving through the community.
Burrow and her volunteers offer information and necessities, handed out from donated supplies of clothing, backpacks and food items, but no money changes hands.
“It’s very quick. The people the community is seeing walking around, those are people who have still not quite figured out their funding and how to get from Del Rio to their final destination. We don’t help with that,” Burrow said.
The number of immigrants passing through the migrant processing center has reached unprecedented levels, and Burrow said she believes that will continue throughout the remainder of the year.
“When we’re sitting here at the tail end of March and we’re already sitting at 5,000, that’s bigger than any number we did last year, so yes, I believe there are more numbers to come,” Burrow said.
She said the expected increase in immigrant numbers for the rest of 2022 is definitely not a function of the migrant processing center’s presence.
“There’s a misconception that a hygiene bag and a sack lunch is drawing people over here. I don’t think that’s the case,” she said.
“We’re happy to help in the time of need, but we’re not the reason why they’re coming,” she added.
Burrow said one of the things the VVBHC needs from the Del Rio community is understanding.
“I think people need to understand that there is going to be a lot of families and singles on our streets. I’m noticing it as I’m coming in, with signs, that are asking for money, and they’re seeking out churches to try and help them with their funding. That’s a decision that each church and each person is going to have to make, but that is not what we are doing here. VVBHC is focusing on what we can do with specific people that are directly released by Border Patrol to us,” Burrow said.
As far as the VVBHC’s material needs, Burrow said monetary donations are always appreciated and can be made on the group’s web site, vvbhcoalition.com, or on its Facebook page.
“Churches have really stepped up in making sandwiches, and we need to continue that; pre-made sandwiches in a banana breadbox, the boxes the bananas come in. Churches make the sandwiches and bring them to us,” Burrow said, adding that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are preferred.
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