As tens of thousands of migrants have already gone to Chicago and New York, smaller cities like Detroit are seeing more migrants arrive.
The Freedom House has been providing humanitarian protection to immigrants for over forty years. But the record numbers of asylum seekers in the U.S. is bringing them a new challenge.
“Freedom House typically serves about 125 people in the whole year,” CEO Elizabeth Orozco-Vasquez said. “Right now we’re serving about 220 at the moment and we’re having to turn people away every day.”
Seventy of the two hundred and twenty people are currently living at the Freedom House.
Cots line the hallways and are packed into side rooms.
As other cities become overwhelmed with the situation were seeing, were getting some of that overflow,” Orozco-Vasquez said.
She says many of the migrants who come to their door expect to be able to work right away.
Not understanding it is a months, or years-long process to get authorization while their asylum claims are pending in court.
Its really difficult to explain that. And its disheartening. You can see their face fall,” Orozco-Vasquez said.
The Freedom House allowed me speak with one of their clients.
At their request we’re not sharing their name or face.
The man said he came from Venezuela four months ago, crossing the border in Texas. His time in America has not been what he expected.
The truth is, what one hopes when coming here is to work and make money to help the families in our country. But I havent been able to do that,” the migrant said.
Orozco-Vasquez says this is a frustrating part of her job.
Ive had local businesses call me and say we need workers,” Orozco-Vasquez said.
If the migrants could legally work, she says they could become self sufficient.
Then space would be freed up in the Freedom House.
You have these two entities, the person that wants to work and businesses that need employees,” Orozco-Vasquez said. “Theyre unable to connect because the U.S. Government has put restrictions in place so they cant work.”
Still the migrant I interview says this situation at the Freedom House is better than living in Venezuela.
I still would have come to the U.S. Even if I knew this is what it would be like,” he said. “We come knowing the beginning will be hard. But we hope by waiting and by god things our problems will be solved.
His court date is set for this October.
The Freedom House often relies on donations from the public to serve their clients. You can learn more about the Freedom House Detroit and donate to them on their website.