The San Antonio non-profit organization works to help migrants arriving at the airport
Eagle’s Flight Advocacy and Outreach has brought hot meals and childcare items and they hope more groups will join them.
SAN ANTONIO — Title 42 will expire this week. However, San Antonio has already seen migrants arriving in large numbers, with some arriving at the airport not knowing when their flights would depart.
The Trump administration implemented the policy in March of 2020 as a COVID protocol, allowing border agents to deport migrants seeking asylum in the United States. President Biden tried to end the policy when he took office but was blocked in court.
Several families with young children filled the crowd inside San Antonio International Airport’s B terminal on Friday night. Some children tried to sleep under the benches while parents cared for young children in unsuitable hand-me-down clothes.
For Pamela Allen, seeing the influx of migrants at the airport was a haunting reminder of her work abroad in the mid-1990s
“It reminded me of those refugees from Bosnia and Sarajevo,” Allen said. “And it’s a little overwhelming.”
Allen says his organization, Eagles Flight Advocacy And Outreach, goes out once a week handing out hot meals and childcare items.
“We had so many people in line and we weren’t able to feed them all,” she said. “And it was a horrible feeling for me because some of those in line were kids.”
31-year-old Yenifer Silva is a single mother of two. She spent 23 days traveling with her 8-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter from Venezuela to the United States
“Jungle, rivers, swamps, forests. Many risks, many. We risked our lives. All to be able to come here,” Silva said
“Rivers with crocodiles,” his son added. “And streets. Streets with too much walking.”
Fitlleisy Martinez says jungles were a bit intense for her family, but they didn’t feel safe staying in Venezuela
“The country is very dangerous, crime is very rampant and the economy is very, very complicated.” Martinez said. “My husband and I really worked there and the money wasn’t enough for us. Money doesn’t go far in Venezuela”
Allen says the weekly trips to the airport have cost the Eagles Flight five hundred dollars each, but they alone can only do so much.
“Those hot meals mean a lot to them, though,” she said. “I hope other non-profits will also jump in and say yes, let’s do this, let’s help this traveller.
