On Sunday, January 8, President Biden visited El Paso, Texas in an attempt to get a clearer picture of the ongoing crisis at the southern border of the United States. Thousands of migrants have arrived at the U.S. ports of entry there in recent weeks and shelters have been overwhelmed forcing many to sleep on the streets. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) offered the following statement following the President’s visit: 

“We were happy to have President Biden come and see first-hand the situation we are facing in El Paso,” said Maria Torres, Senior U.S. Border Program Manager for JRS/USA. “While we know there is not an immediate fix or one that comes from the President alone, hopefully his visit will shine a light on the dire situation we face and that the President will better understand the realities migrants and asylum seekers face. We urge him to work closely with Congress to develop a long-term solution.” 

“The work we do here is very important, but it cannot be up to religious organizations and non-profit organizations to bear the load for a system that is broken,” said Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Director for JRS/USA. 

In conjunction with JRS Mexico, JRS/USA runs Caminar Contigo a binational border response program which responds to the needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people at the shared border of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. For more information on Caminar Contigo or the Migrant Accompaniment Network, please visit the JRS/USA website.