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Palomas 2020/2021/2022 In May 2019 our UU congregation began supporting the Deming NM shelter for asylum seekers on their way to sponsors. We were a collection site for our county. With those donations we packed food travel bags (GoBags) as well as sent clothing, medical supplies and food for the shelter. All of that ceased in fall 2019 when the border was “shut,” and the Remain in Mexico (MPP) was strictly enforced. The shelter for asylum seekers in Palomas, Tierra de Oro, held a relatively stable number of guests waiting and waiting and waiting… and we transferred our support to them. In June 2020 Border Patrol started expelling dozens of Title 42 migrants (preventing anyone from entering the US due to COVID 19) daily and mostly at night into Palomas. These guests at the shelter may only stay 1 or 2 days but most are in dire need of food, sleep and first aid before they decide where to go next. And because of the pandemic they had to be kept separate from the asylum seekers. At our UU building we continue to have a biweekly collection of supplies for the shelter. These supplies are transported to Deming, NM and then sent across the border by officially sanctioned individuals. In February 2021 we began to pack GoBags again for the migrants subject to Title 42. We pack at least 250 bags a week as well as continue to provide for the asylum seekers at Tierra de Oro in Palomas. The fire station in Palomas has also opened to T42 migrants. What we are able to do is dependent on donations from our wider community, both locally and nationally. As of early 2022, the Deming shelter has opened again for asylum seekers heading to sponsors in the US. Our role will continue evolve as border policies evolve. You can read below the last three weekly posts with updated information on Palomas and Deming, as well as the current needs for the migrants and asylees. If you would like to personally receive these posts, contact Barbara Gabioud at bgabioud@gmail.com. Note:
Driven by the hope for a better future, many migrants who are being
expelled
from the US will continue to try to re-enter, regardless of the dangers
and
hardships they face.
8/10/2022 A
change in immigration policy actually happened this week,
though exactly what
it will look like on the ground is still to be seen. I’ll try to
summarize it
in a very simplistic fashion, bearing in mind that it is really much
more
complicated. A
week ago Monday the Supreme Court gave the go ahead to the Biden
administration
to end the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) better known as Remain In
Mexico.
MPP was put into place by President Trump in January 2019…pre-COVID. It
worked
like this: when any non-citizen presented to Border Patrol requesting
asylum on
US soil, they were given a credible fear interview and if they met
criteria
they were given a court hearing date at which time they were required
to appear
in US immigration court to plead their case for more permanent refugee
status.
BUT they were no longer allowed to stay in the US to await their
hearing…they
had to "Remain in Mexico". Then
COVID hit and immigration courts shut down. Everyone in MPP was stuck
in border
migrant shelters and camps in Mexico with no end in sight. And in March
2020
Title 42 was implemented as an emergency health proclamation banning everyone
from entering the US . Asylum seekers and all other migrants were
immediately
turned back from the border with no chance to even request asylum. So
MPP was
functionally dead but thousands were still waiting for their court
hearings. On
President Biden’s first day in office, he suspended MPP and initially
many
asylum seekers were allowed to enter the US to pursue their cases. But
then as
you know, MPP hit the courts and various judges required the
administration to
reinstate it. Two
days ago the Department of
Homeland Security, now with the blessing of the Supreme Court,
announced that
no new individuals would be subject to MPP and that those
already in the
system would be disenrolled after their first court date and allowed to
pursue
their cases within the United States. It is estimated that all MPP
enrollees
will be processed in 1-2 months. Of
course, Title 42 is still in place; and although in El Paso alone 40
migrants
per day are allowed to enter as T42 exceptions, along with other ports
of entry
along the border, the majority of asylum seekers are still waiting for
the
opportunity to cross. I started out this email saying that a “major
change” had occurred but revised my wording. Until Title 42 is
eliminated most
people seeking protection in the United States still have to suffer. Please don’t give up on
them, please continue to donate,
and please continue to pressure your government officials to open their
hearts
and our border. OUR
NEXT COLLECTION IS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17th and STILL NO CLOTHING EXCEPT
WOMENS
AND MENS ATHLETIC SHOES, NEW UNDERWEAR in
all sizes for MEN,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN. SPORTS BRAS, SOCKS and 40” SHOELACES. RIGHT NOW LARGE SIZE MENS
SHOES (10 AND OVER) ARE IN
SHORT SUPPLY. WE
ARE ALSO RUNNING OUT OF PERSONAL COVID MASKS SO PLEASE PICK
UP SOME FOR US! Here
is the comprehensive list of requests for Palomas and Deming with the
most
needed in RED
(and they change weekly). Personal
hygiene supplies: FEMININE HYGIENE
PRODUCTS, RAZORS, DEODORANTS, BODY LOTION FOR DRY
SKIN, VASELINE/LIP BALM, small SOAPS, SHAMPOO,
TOOTHBRUSHES and TOOTHPASTES. Baby
supplies
include: PEDIALYTE, DIAPERS,
Other
food items: RICE, BEANS and CUP-OF-NOODLES. Additional
Supplies: BACKPACKS and DUFFEL BAGS for
travel, and TOILET
PAPER. We
collect donations on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month,3:00-3:30, at
the UUFSC building, 3845 N Swan (not our mailing address) in Silver
City. You
can drive straight down on either side of our collection vehicles. We
will get
you unloaded and then you can drive out easily. If you are
bringing any of
the above GoBag items, please let the crew unloading your car know
about
them. If
you would like to read my last 3
posts they are available on our UU website uufsc.com. It
might give you ideas of other needed supplies.
Click on the Palomas/Deming 2022 link on the left side of the
page. Or you
can dig deeper on our fellowship’s Facebook page htt
7/25/2022 So
today’s email is going to stay local. First Border
Partners, that wonderful cross border collaborative
organization,
linking Deming to Palomas. They are in need of a new vehicle for their
General
Manager to drive back and forth across the border. The one they have
has
developed issues that are too major to fix. If you have a car you no
longer
need, consider donating it and receiving a tax deduction. Let me know
and I
will put you in contact with them. And
now onto Colores
United in Deming. They just
took possession of a new building to replace their storage and program
needs.
As you can see below, there is lots of potential but it needs lots of
major
work. From Ariana "We are currently looking for volunteers to come
help…from gardening to construction/plumbing.... and even some "paint
by
number" mural work! Any day, all day! The concept of our
space will
be 'old rustic Mexico meets modern minimalism’. So, if you have any old
leather
chairs, ottomans in solid vibrant colors, hearty potted plants,
hammocks, doors
with their frames, (glass doors or solid wood will work) or old framed
windows,
we would love to have them. To volunteer, email Karen.coloresunited@gmail.com OUR
NEXT COLLECTION IS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3rd and STILL NO
CLOTHING EXCEPT WOMENS AND MENS ATHLETIC
SHOES, NEW UNDERWEAR in all sizes for MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
SPORTS
BRAS, SOCKS and 40” SHOELACES. Here
is the comprehensive list of requests for Palomas and Deming with the
most
needed in RED
(and they change weekly). Personal
hygiene supplies: FEMININE HYGIENE
PRODUCTS, RAZORS, DEODORANTS, BODY LOTION FOR DRY
SKIN, VASELINE/LIP BALM, small SOAPS, SHAMPOO,
TOOTHBRUSHES and TOOTHPASTES. Baby
supplies
include: DIAPERS, BABY WIPES, DIAPER CREAM, FORMULA (
SMALL CANS)
SIMILAC or NIDO, BABY BOTTLES.
Other
food items: RICE, BEANS and CUP-OF-NOODLES. Additional
Supplies: BACKPACKS and DUFFEL BAGS for
travel, and TOILET
PAPER. We
collect donations on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month,3:00-3:30, at
the UUFSC building, 3845 N Swan (not our mailing address) in Silver
City. You can
drive straight down on either side of our collection vehicles. We will
get you
unloaded and then you can drive out easily. If you are
bringing any of the
above GoBag items, please let the crew unloading your car know about
them. If
you would like to read my last 3
posts they are available on our UU website uufsc.com. It
might give you ideas of other needed
supplies. Click on the Palomas/Deming 2022 link on the left side of the
page. Or you can dig deeper on our fellowship’s Facebook page htt ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
7/13/2022 The
biggest news this week is that we are not
accepting any clothes for the next couple months, except
as
described below. You all have been very generous this season
and the
store rooms are well stocked. I’m sure our local thrift shops would
gladly
accept your donations. They all make wonderful contributions
to our
community. Also,
if you click on THIS YouTube
link https://youtu.be/ OUR
NEXT COLLECTION IS WEDNESDAY JULY 20th. Below
is our ongoing comprehensive list of needs for both Palomas and Deming.
The
items that are currently most needed are in RED
(and they change weekly). Medical
needs: PEDIATRIC
ELECTROLYTE PACKETS for kids, ALLERGY MEDS for
adults and
children, NASAL SALINE SPRAY or DROPS. Baby
supplies
include: DIAPERS, BABY WIPES, DIAPER CREAM, FORMULA (
SMALL CANS)
SIMILAC or NIDO, BABY BOTTLES.
We
collect donations on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month,3:00-3:30, at
the UUFSC building, 3845 N Swan (not our mailing address) in Silver
City. You
can drive straight down on either side of our collection vehicles. We
will get
you unloaded and then you can drive out easily. If you are
bringing any of
the above GoBag items, please let the crew unloading your car know
about
them. If
you would like to read my last 3
posts they are available on our UU website uufsc.com. It
might give you ideas of other needed
supplies. Click on the Palomas/Deming 2022 link on the left side of the
page. Or you can dig deeper on our fellowship’s Facebook page htt The
Colores United shelter in Deming for
asylum seekers who have made it across the border receives about 150
people per
week; and they could use more volunteers. They are looking for 2
volunteers/day
for shifts either 10-2 or 2-6 at the hotel. You would assist with
intakes,
receiving guests, serving meals, etc. If you can make a one month
commitment
contact Karen Quevedo who is in charge of volunteers. For example, you
could
agree to take the 2-6 shift on Thursdays for 4 weeks. Her email
is karen.coloresunited@gmail. To
contribute financially you can mail checks made out to UUFSC (Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship of Silver City) with Border in the
memo line to
UUFSC, PO Box 4034, Silver City, NM 88062. Thank you everyone!
~Barbara ![]()
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City - 2012
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