Aura Silva, a Colombian mother, found herself in a state of uncertainty after crossing the U.S. border. She was driven from Texas to New Mexico and then flown to Sacramento, where she had no family or knowledge of how to find shelter. However, the Diocese of Sacramento and partner organizations stepped in to provide clothes and food for Silva and the other migrants. While grateful for the support, Silva soon became frustrated with the lack of job opportunities and guidance on the complex asylum process. After three months of waiting, she decided to leave Sacramento and seek employment in Memphis.
Sacramento, according to community leaders, provided limited support for the new arrivals, leading some migrants, including Silva, to consider moving to other cities. In contrast, Los Angeles received significant financial assistance from the state to help integrate the migrants into the community. The difference in support can be attributed to the larger number of arrivals in L.A. compared to Sacramento. Some lawmakers commend California’s compassionate approach to migrants, contrasting it with the political theatrics in Florida and Texas.
In L.A., migrants like Hember Paiz and Dena Arenas received assistance upon their arrival, including legal advice and access to local resources. With the help of non-profit organizations, they applied for work permits, received healthcare coverage, and enrolled in nutrition programs. Meanwhile, in Sacramento, community leaders criticized the slow integration of migrants into the city. They called for a more coordinated approach involving the city, county, and state governments.
After 16 migrants were abruptly dropped off in Sacramento, the Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT) organization stepped in to assist them. However, as more migrants arrived, ACT faced challenges in providing support. They requested funding from Sacramento County, but the request was ultimately denied due to a lack of available funds. This left migrants like Silva fearing homelessness again. Silva had endured a challenging journey through Central America and Mexico before surrendering to U.S. border officials.
While Sacramento County did not provide financial support, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development allocated funds to establish a task force for coordinating care for newly arriving migrants. However, these funds would not be available until January. As a result, some migrants left Sacramento, and those who remained were informed that ACT could no longer provide financial assistance.
Although Los Angeles received state aid to support migrants, Sacramento faced challenges in providing adequate resources. This disparity highlights the need for a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to support migrants in California.
– Justo Robles and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
