Texas Border City Denies Permit for Migrant Shelter

MCALLEN, Texas – City officials denied a permit to a charity group wishing to use an old nursing home as a shelter for migrants released by U.S. authorities. The vote followed complaints from local residents.

This week, the McAllen City Commission voted to deny a conditional use permit, forcing Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley to leave their center only two months after moving from a smaller building in the city’s downtown, The McAllen Monitor reported. The charity has 90 days to relocate.

McAllen City Commissioner Omar Quintanilla, took to social media to explain the current situation.

We denied the new location because of its close proximity to neighborhoods and school and because of complaints by residence. We can still help find a new location. https://t.co/X7mXommn0L

— Omar Quintanilla (@OmarQuintanilla) February 12, 2019

More than 1,000 migrants from Central America have crossed the Rio Grande and turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol to request asylum or protected status. Once the migrants are processed, most are released pending further court proceedings. Migration into the Rio Grande Valley is a big money maker for human smugglers allied with Mexico’s Gulf Cartel. The cartel charges between $300 and $500 dollars to cross the river, however, the complete journey from Central America to other U.S. cities ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.

Once the migrants are released in McAllen, they often make their way to the Catholic Charities respite center. Under the leadership of Sister Norma Pimentel, the group provides food, shelter, and clothing to the hundreds released each day.

Originally, the Catholic Charities respite center operated out of a smaller spot in downtown McAllen. In December, the group moved to a larger location to accommodate the growing need. According to The Monitor, residents near the new location quickly began complaining about the constant traffic of unfamiliar individuals going in and out of the shelter.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon.  You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.