EL PASO, Texas – Annunciation House, a faith‑based nonprofit rooted in Christian service, remains a steady presence on the city’s border corridor, offering daily shelter to families and children who have been released from federal immigration custody.
Consistent daily assistance
Executive director Ruben Garcia reports that the organization continues to host between four and fifteen individuals each weekday, despite a broader decline in border crossings. Those arriving are often young adults who have turned 18 and are transitioning out of Office of Refugee Resettlement facilities, as well as material witnesses assisting Homeland Security Investigations.
Collaboration with ICE and CBP
Since 2014, when large numbers of Central American families entered South Texas, ICE and Customs and Border Protection have worked with Annunciation House to arrange temporary shelter, preventing released individuals from being placed directly onto public streets. Garcia emphasizes that the nonprofit maintains strict operational independence: “We do not do any detention. Anyone you send to us is free to walk out the front door. They are free to go.” The organization does not act as a surrogate for federal agencies; any ongoing relationship between the government and the individuals remains between those parties.
Support services beyond shelter
Staff at Annunciation House assist released migrants in contacting family members nationwide and securing travel tickets, helping them reunite with loved ones and begin new lives. During the fiscal year 2019, ICE released 150,000 refugees to a regional network of partner churches coordinated by Annunciation House across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska.
Faith‑driven mission
Garcia frames the nonprofit’s work around core principles shared by global faith traditions. “Whether we are Christian, whether we’re Muslim, whether we’re Jewish, whether we’re Buddhist, at the heart of our belief structure is that we welcome the poor,” he said. This inclusive, faith‑centered approach guides the organization’s daily operations and its ongoing public discussions about human dignity and international refugee policy.
Looking ahead
Annunciation House plans to maintain its shelter capacity in El Paso while continuing to engage community leaders, faith groups and policymakers on the broader issues of asylum and immigration. The nonprofit’s model of cooperation with federal authorities, coupled with its unwavering commitment to freedom of movement for those it serves, offers a compassionate alternative to detention‑focused approaches.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
