Migrants Sleep Outside, City Awards Facility’s Team for “Excellence”
By Jon Melendez
On Thursday October 20th, the City of San Antonio presented “The City Manager Excellence Award” for the year to city staffers for their respective efforts on a variety of projects. One team, consisting of Paul “Marc” Wonder, Ramona Moreno, and Olympia Cuellar, was recognized by City Manager Erik Walsh for their work on the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) at 7000 San Pedro Avenue.
This left Ernest Salinas, president of the Dellview Area Neighborhood Association in district 1, dumbfounded.
“To be awarded for dumping this in our district, in this community, is beyond belief. Our councilman (Mario Bravo) acknowledged no awareness of this federal event. Rewarding this lack of transparency is unbelievable.”
The MRC has been the subject of much controversy, whether regarding the treatment of those coming from 3rd world nations, the management and use of public resources, or its lack of transparency. It has left many San Antonians questioning the Department of Human Services (DHS), city management, and the direction in which both are headed.
There has been a major uptick in the homeless population surrounding the MRC since its opening, as many are ultimately forced to leave without a place to go. An urban campsite was set up across the street since before Labor Day, established by Venezuelans coming from the MRC.
In one interview from last month, migrants informed me that many inside the domicile are forced to sleep outside or on the facility floor, as there are not enough cots inside to support everyone coming in.
Based on such conversations, our team investigated the veracity of their statements. In the early morning hours of September 14th, we took pictures and videos of the MRC parking lot and its sidewalks, as well as the surrounding area.
One video shows the migrants sleeping outside the building in mylar blankets, while another shows others sleeping at the urban campsite. Another shows two migrants sleeping, with no blankets, outside the black tarp-covered iron fence that surrounds the facility.
At the time, the City of San Antonio was running the day-to-day operations for the MRC. Catholic Charities took over about a week later.
Last month, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston told the San Antonio Report that “between 500 to 1,000 migrants arrive at the center a day.” Those numbers appear to run afoul of the facility’s occupancy limit of 707.
Moreover, as the “Temporary Certificate of Occupancy” shows, there is neither a fire sprinkler nor a fire alarm. They’re not even required. Is this standard operating procedure? It does not strike me as being particularly safe for the migrants inside.
The apparent disconnect between Ms. Houston and Development Services Department director Michael Shannon appears to prove Mr. Salinas’ assertion.
Lack of communication. Insufficient transparency. Is this how the city defines “excellence”?
Only the government could get away with this. A private entity would be fined out of business.
Just look away….nothing to see here.
Oh well, I just think for what I had read online, all this migration (from Central America and some other countries) is a well organized plan to destabilize the US. That is also used to distract us, from what is going on and to eventually use all of them as votes in favor of whoever may take the direction of our country.
As of September 2, the City no longer manages the Migrant Resource Center. Catholic Charities operates the MRC. Security is subcontracted to TAP Security, with only the police controlling the entrance to the MRC. Taking the City out of managing the MRC prevents the use of Open Records that would provide transparency in documenting the Federal grants, subcontractors, hotel contracts, transportation subsidies, free cell phones, etc.
This arrangement occurred after DHS Secretary Mayorkas had a clandestine meeting on August 24 with the Mayor, City Staff, and various city charities.
Yeah and the crappiest part of it all, is that catholic charities are paying currently for very nice apartments for these immigrants to stay in. I have a girlfriend of mine who said her friend (a woman) went to visit one of these guys (immigrants) that she met on the Tinder dating app, and he said that catholic charities is paying for the apartment. But someone like myself who is a veteran is about to be homeless and the local city and the state of TX could give two shits about it.