Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers pass through Pima County everyday and people who care for them expect their numbers to grow. Casa Alitas, a migrant shelter in Tucson, shows KGUN 9 how they plan to keep up with the demand ahead of Title 42.
For the arriving migrants at Casa Alitas, it’s the sound of relief and hope. With a wide range of migrants from all over the world, the shelter is looking to expand.
About 85% of these folks are hailing from points within Asia. Particularly the region of India. That’s a dramatic shift for us away from Latin based countries,” said Teresa Cavendish, Casa Alitas Shelter Director.
With Pima County leasing half of a former call center for Casa Alitas’ shelter, it still may not be enough. About 150 men are there, but shelter director Teresa Cavendish says Tucson does have the capacity to offer overnight shelter at the rate of migrants coming in each day.
We are helping them review their documents, making sure that they have all that they need from immigration. Then assigning them to the right type of shelter based on their family demographic,” said Cavendish.
For one migrants named Nelson, he fled his home country of Ecuador because he didn’t feel safe.
Despues llegamos al pais de panama,” he says. When asked what the month long journey was like to get to Tucson, Nelson says he went four days without food or water. He tells KGUN9 his main goal is to learn English and get a job.
Cavendish says most people in the shelter don’t stay too long. It can be hours, it can be as many as two or three days. Then sponsor families that are approved by federal immigration officials will as temporary hosts ahead of asylum requests. Cavendish also says their goal is to help them meet their needs immediately.
Because for some, this is the first time they could be away from violence and insecurity.