In January, the Biden administration established a commitment to modernize the U.S. Immigration System that included multiple changes to both border security and immigration policy that would affect border cities on the south and north end of the country.

In Laredo, a number of community organizations and the city have not only had to continue their work during the COVID-19 pandemic but also contend with border security and the humanitarian aid of the men, women and children who reach its border.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz said there has been a significant increase to the number of single, male nationals that have evaded the border patrol and crossed into the U.S. In addition, approximately 500 individuals as part of the Migrant Protection Protocols, now terminated by Biden, are residing in Nuevo Laredo waiting to be processed.

The MPP had those without proper documentation, those seeking U.S. admission and/or those who entered the U.S. illegally wait in Mexico for the duration of their immigration proceeding. Once processed, they would be brought to shelters. However, numbers have been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, only those with a negative COVID-19 result would be allowed to enter the shelter.

Families, women and children have taken the perilous journey to claim asylum and are then led to one of the non-governmental organizations in Laredo, Saenz said. Approximately 20 to 30 individuals in the demographic are helped through the Holding Institute or the Catholic Charities.

The same perilous journey is now being undertaken by unaccompanied minors. On Monday, the U.S. planned to shelter these minors, including 3,000 that have been transported to the temporary FEMA shelter at the Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

Being a border mayor, Saenz said he hopes those sending the children know there are better ways to seek asylum. However, he understands there are multiple factors that make it difficult for families, including difficulties with the cartel and human smugglers.

According to Sister Rosemary Welsh, multiple forms of abuse have been found throughout the incoming immigrants, specifically women. In prior years, cases of domestic abuse would be a part of a protected population, but that has not been the case in recent years.

She told some stories from women that have made the journey who have been robbed, abused and taken advantage of by both authorities and cartel members. To elaborate on the difficulty of the journey, Welsh said some women told her they started birth control prior to their trip because they knew they would be raped on the way to the U.S.

Welsh addressed the issue during a Facebook Live “Conversation with Cuellar” event hosted by Rep. Henry Cuellar.

“What we try to do when they come is not ask a lot of questions, because they are already traumatized,” she said. “We got a family the other day and a little 4-year-old kid, she fell apart.”

However, the shelter and aid provided to migrants is a costly endeavor. In response, FEMA announced that food and shelter programs that helped with migrant individuals and families could receive reimbursements.

Approximately $115 million will be provided for humanitarian relief, Cuellar said during the panel discussion. Cuellar continued that millions of federal funds would help reimburse non-governmental organizations for their expenditures. The reimbursements were designed to circumvent state government, allowing NGOs to apply and receive their reimbursements without much delay.

Cuellar said NGOs must keep their receipts regarding their shelter, feeding, transportation, basic health and first aid, COVID services and other supported services. Applications will be available soon. Once available, NGO heads may start the process of applying for their reimbursements.

Welsh was among a number of NGO leads that help migrants once they have crossed the border who attended the panel. They participated and talked about additional funds similar programs would receive along with giving their perspective on the situation.

At the Laredo Regional Food Bank, services have continued through the pandemic and the demand has grown, Executive Director Carmen Garcia said. She added that the RFB is one of the few food banks that accepts an extended list of identification, including Mexican-based IDs to help those that are in the country illegally.

“For me that is very important to be able to help those groups, and we continue to do so this year, so hopefully these new funds can help us continue to service that particular group here at the border,” she said.

For the City of Laredo, Saenz said despite the tonal shift in administration on the issue of immigration and their plan to improve the policies, federal funding will need to be allocated to border communities. As both cities and NGOs provide support to Washington policies, proper reimbursement of all expenditures must be provided.

He added that from what he has been told, in both 2014 and 2019 the federal government are missing reimbursements to the city and certain NGOs. He believes that while the Biden Administration has a strong willingness to help the migrant population, help services will need to be properly managed and funded at both federal and city levels.

The first major hurdle that border communities and the federal government have address is the number of unaccompanied minors. Cuellar said that so far, a majority of minors are being found in the Valley.

Michael Smith, Executive Director at the Holding Institute, said that the shelter houses families and adult individuals, and it is not receiving unaccompanied adults at this time.