Bus carrying 31 asylum seekers from Venezuela arrives from Texas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A bus carrying more than two dozen asylum seekers arrived in Philadelphia Wednesday morning from Texas.
"When they talk about buses going to Philadelphia, those buses are full of human beings," Blancha Pacheco, of the New Sanctuary Movement, said. "Buses full of mothers, brothers, sisters and children."
The New Sanctuary movement, a nonprofit, is here to help them all. The immigration rights organization was at 30th Street Station Wednesday morning to welcome 31 people seeking asylum to Philadelphia. They arrived from Del Rio and Eagle Pass, Texas.
"People have a right to claim asylum to look for safety, to look for survival, to look for protection. That's a legal right," Pacheco said.
New Sanctuary is one of a dozen nonprofits and 10 city agencies working to help those arriving. On Wednesday, everyone was from Venezuela. Twenty six people were taken to the welcome center in North Philly, where they were given a meal, shower and access to lawyers.
Since mid-November, 20 buses have arrived from Texas and now there's growing concern that it will happen more frequently now that Title 42 is coming to an end.
Title 42 was implemented during the pandemic. The public health law limited immigration because of the on-going health crisis. It expires at midnight. Many fear it will result in more people crossing the border.
"I'm grateful that public health is not being used to prevent people from exercising their right to seek asylum in the United States," Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, of the Philadelphia Department of Health, said. "There's a long history of treating immigrants as vectors of contagion."
New Sanctuary is also happy to see the policy end. And even with the possibility of more people coming to Philly, they say they're ready to help.
"We might face a big number of people coming to Philadelphia and we're ready. We're ready to respond and treat people with humanity and values," Pacheco said.
Nearly 900 asylum seekers have been bussed to Philadelphia since November.
The city says only 55 people remain awaiting immigration hearings. It's unclear if or when more buses may arrive, the city said.
