A Catholic nun who has helped tens of thousands of immigrants flee to the United States says she hopes President-elect Trump does not reinstate the same hard-line immigration policies that were a cornerstone of his first term.
Sister Norma Pimentel, who runs Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley Migrant Shelter in Eagle Pass, Texas, and has been praised by the Pope for her humanitarian work, is working with the incoming administration to seek asylum for poor immigrants. He said he would like to support. Border Report says their applications will be processed and they can work towards a better, more prosperous life.
She told the outlet that the Trump-Vance administration, which was elected last week on a platform of cracking down on illegal immigration and carrying out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, has forced asylum-seekers into prison for months or even years. He said he hopes they won't have to wait in Mexico. So that their immigration cases will be heard.
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Sister Norma Pimentel runs Catholic Charities, a Rio Grande Valley migrant shelter in Eagle Pass, Texas, and has been praised by the Pope for her humanitarian work. (Lee Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)
President Trump has repeatedly praised his Migrant Protection Protocols (more commonly referred to as “Remain in Mexico”) as fundamental to drastically reducing the number of migrants crossing the southern border. President Trump is expected to reinstate the policy, but it will take time and coordination with the Mexican government.
Pimentel said it's safer for migrants and they have access to necessities like food and shelter if organizations like hers provide them with meals once they cross.
“When we've gone through things like that in the past, I've experienced and seen so many people hurt and in so much pain. You know, my hope is that something like this never happens again. That's not going to happen because it would put at risk people who have already applied for asylum and have the right to stay in the United States during the process,'' Pimentel said. He spoke to Border Report at the Cathedral's office.
“Why should they have to wait in Mexico? But whatever they're given, we're going to work with them and help them along the way and move forward with the asylum process.”
At its peak, the shelter, a former nightclub, housed up to 1,500 people a day, but that number has now fallen to about 50, according to border reports.
Pimentel said the Biden administration has largely stopped migrants from crossing illegally between ports of entry, and if they sneak through they will be “sent back.”
Migrants heading north toward the U.S. border walk along a highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)
According to 2024, of the 2.9 million encounters nationwide, almost half occurred at ports of entry, but in 2021, only 15% of the nationwide encounters occurred at ports of entry. That's what it means. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. Illegal border crossings have increased rapidly under the Biden administration, with the number of illegal encounters exceeding 10.8 million since fiscal 2021.
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Pimentel said under the Trump-Vance administration, federal funding for nonprofits that process immigrants could be stretched thin.
FEMA has administered hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to nonprofit organizations and communities hosting illegal immigrants during the historic border crisis. This year's funding is $650 million, using funds transferred from Customs and Border Protection.
The plan became a lightning rod for conservatives when DHS asked Congress for additional funding after hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida.
She says God will provide and believes the Rio Grande Valley community will come out to support asylum seekers.
Sister Norma Pimentel helps immigrants off a bus in Brownsville in 2021. (John Moore/Getty Images)
”[The funding] It was a blessing. It was good and it helped,” Pimentel told Border Report. “Until then, it was 100% community support, support for efforts like ours from all over the country.”We have a commitment to continue responding and helping humanity stay safe. I think you are expected to contribute. ”
While her humanitarianism has been praised by some, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has accused Catholic non-governmental organizations of encouraging illegal immigration and running safe houses for illegal immigrants. has been criticized by others, including
Mr. Paxton tried to remove Mr. Pimentel and the leaders of four other immigrant aid centers in Texas, but a Hidalgo County judge ruled this summer that Mr. Paxton had no authority to remove Mr. Pimentel. The court ruled that there was no such thing, Border Report said.
Pimentel works closely with DHS and is regularly called by the Border Patrol to bring migrants to the center or when there are large groups in need of respite care, the paper said. She said she intends to work with those in need to ensure those coming to the United States are treated humanely and with dignity.
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A family of Central American immigrants released from federal custody is seen inside a humanitarian retreat center run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in McAllen, Texas, on July 29, 2019. (Lauren Elliott/Reuters)
“I am here to respond to and work with our leaders who want to create something good for those in our country who need our help,” she said. said.
One such leader may be Thomas Homan, whom President-elect Trump has named “border czar.”
Homan told The Story this week that under the new administration, “there will be no catch-and-release.”
“There are no fraudulent asylum claims, and you either remain in Mexico or are detained. You are not released across the border, but flown on an NGO plane to the city of your choice,” at taxpayer expense.
