Shelter services helping migrants in the Tucson area say they’re looking for interpretive services and other volunteer work while they respond to an increased number of people arriving from the border.
Hundreds of migrants are waiting days to be processed by the Border Patrol after crossing the border in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Customs and Border Protection says that’s overwhelmed resources and prompted the Lukeville Port of Entry to close.
Diego Piña-Lopez is with Casa Alitas — the organization housing migrants in Tucson once they’re released from custody.
"We really don’t know how many people we have until they’re outside our doorstep, which is really challenging to make predictions and plan ahead of time," he said.
Piña-Lopez says that’s partly because the Border Patrol is sending some migrants elsewhere, like El Paso, after they've been processed.
He says Casa Alitas is seeing close to 1,000 people a day and sometimes more. Most stay between one and three days in Tucson. Some are in poor health, after spending nights and days waiting in the desert. Casa Alitas looking for volunteers to help with interpretation for migrants who speak French, Punjabi and other languages.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct Diego Piña-Lopez's name.
