Las Familias Solidarity

“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime.”  - John Lewis

 

Be hopeful, Be optimistic

Our team met a family from Venezuela, who shared their story with us over lunch at a shelter last week. The father, Luis, was a civil engineer who did not vote for the dictator Maduro in the Venezuelan presidential election. The next day, police closed his business, prohibited his daughter from attending school, repossessed the family home and seized their bank accounts. The authorities threatened to kill Luis, his wife Daniela and his 11-year-old daughter if they resisted. The family fled that night, beginning their long journey north. We suspected that Daniela was traumatized by the vacant look in her eyes as she described a flash flood that terrified them. They were struggling through a canyon in the Darien Gap, a vast jungle between Columbia and Panama. Teary eyed, Daniele described “the water was up to our necks and rising. Dead bodies were floating by us. Gangs were on the top of the canyon, waiting to kidnap us. I was certain that I was going to die!”

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Through their determination, the family made it to Juarez and legally crossed into the United States in January with a CBP-1 screening appointment with US Customs and Border Protection. Luis explained to us that in a few days they are headed to Oregon, where a neighborhood which is part of a national organization of neighborhoods, is sponsoring them with all that they will need to begin a new, safe life among caring people. Their sponsor group will also help them with legal help for their asylum petition at their scheduled Immigration Court date in August of 2026. “We must stay in the United States. If we are sent back to Venezuela, we will be killed” Luis exclaimed. When we asked Luis how he felt after all that his family had been through, “we are hopeful!” he declared.

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Our Struggle is not the struggle of a day, week, month or year, it is a struggle of a Lifetime

Each shelter manager was alarmed at the rapid militarization of El Paso. Nighthawk helicopters patrol the skies; Texas National guards patrol the streets. The normally busy shops that we see in downtown El Paso streets were empty as people stayed home, afraid to go out. No one who we talked to in El Paso knew what will happen at our southern border in the days ahead. The number of asylum seekers in the El Paso shelters is down, with the 4 shelters receiving only a few people per day as Customs and Border Protection screen and release migrants from Detention Facilities with arm or ankle monitors for GPS tracking.

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Annunciation House celebrated its 47th Anniversary the day before we were in El Paso. Ruben Garcia, the founder of Annunciation House, told the volunteers and donors “We are used to this. All our lives, El Paso has been a city of immigrants. We have been through this 5 years ago when the borders were closed. I am asking you to patiently wait.” One shelter manager explained “We know that eventually policies will change, and in the meantime, migrants will keep coming to our border.” A priest at an Annunciation House shelter told our team” as long as migrants are coming, we will be here. It is up to us to put Bishop Budde’s words into action. But to prepare, we will pause in March to rest, reflect and reassess.”  

 

  Do not get lost in a sea of Despair

          We too, must remain hopeful. There are multiple lawsuits seeking to restore an immigrant’s right to seek asylum in the US that are winding their way through the courts. There are important, positive things that we can do to protect the rights of immigrants here in New Mexico. It's not too late to make your voice heard at the New Mexico legislature on behalf of the thousands of migrant workers in our state. Join this letter-writing campaign that will go directly to your representatives when you enter your address. Disregard the date, letters are still needed. We have attached more specifics about the platform of bills before the NM legislature. Please urge your state representative to support these bills.  We can make a difference before the end of the legislative session and ensure that the voices of those who are so often overlooked are heard. Please go to: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/protect-immigrant-worker-rights-in-new-mexico-2025 

 

Ours is the Struggle of a Lifetime

          The Las Familias Solidarity team members will also be pausing in March to rest, reflect and reassess. We will be discerning what is ours to do. Where, in the weeks ahead, will there be an urgent support need for shelters that care of asylum seeking families? We do not know if it will be in El Paso or Juarez, Mexico. We are committed to ongoing communication with the Annunciation House shelter managers and El Paso volunteers that serve migrants in Juarez. We will keep you informed on how our team will be flexing with the ever changing reality at the border. The Las Familias Solidarity team is grateful for your support and prayers. We could not bring $6,000 to $8,000 worth of urgently requested supplies to El Paso migrant shelters each month for the past 4 years without your help. Thank you!

 

We depend on your support

          100% of your donation goes to purchase critical supply items requested by the shelter managers.

Our dedicated volunteers donate all copy, mailing, repackaging and transportation costs. With your help, last week we were able to supply the El Paso shelters with: for adults and children; 205 winter jackets, 336 warm hats and gloves, 550 briefs, 220 backpacks, 63 pairs of new shoes and 115 clothing items for children and toddlers, 11 cases of diapers, 250 pounds of rice & sugar and much more.

Donations help us buy in bulk to get the best price.

• Donate & get a tax deduction - Go to all-angels.com. (St. Michael and All Angel’s parish) Hit the yellow donate button on the lower right corner of the web page. On the donations page, hit the arrow to the right of “Use this donation for”. Scroll down to Las Familias Solidarity. Use PayPal or a credit card to donate.

• Send a Check, We Shop – For a tax deduction, make check to St. Michaels and All Angels. In the memo line put “Las Familias Solidarity.” Mail to St. Michaels & All Angels, 601 Montaño Road NW. Albuquerque, NM  87107

• Venmo us @Las Familias-Solidarity

 

With our gratitude and blessings,

Liz, Mike, Linda, Denise, Sharon, Mike and 22 other volunteers

 The Las Familias Solidarity Team  Contact: liz_hanna@hotmail.com