Three Florida and two Texas cities are among the 16 destinations
of Congolese migrant families who arrived in San Antonio, Texas the first week
of June.
A June 15
Washington Examiner story by Anna Giaritelli reported the details of the migrant’s
arrival and with an assist from KENS5 reporter Jaleesa Irizarry includes destinations
of the Congolese families as obtained from the City of San Antonio:
“SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Roughly 300 Congolese and Angolan citizens who arrived in
San Antonio the first week of June after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border days
earlier have all briskly departed the city for destinations across the
country, some with fuzzy plans based partly on hope.
The hundreds of family members and single adults
from Central Africa first showed up June 4 at the southern border’s Eagle Pass
and Del Rio towns in south-central Texas. The migrants surrendered to Border
Patrol agents and claimed asylum after crossing the Rio Grande.
The agency did not, as it is supposed to, turn
families over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Instead, it released
families onto the streets of Eagle Pass and Del Rio, according to two
government and nongovernment officials with first-hand knowledge of the matter.
The African migrants then bought bus tickets to either San Antonio or Austin,
according to San Antonio Interim Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger.”
Last week County Examiner published
details from a March 12, 2019 presentation by the International Rescue
Committee (IRC) of the stress felt on
Florida’s’ educational system, especially in the parts of Florida with
Congolese refugees who’ve never attended school.
“A second presentation by Ms.
Bilic from International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Comprehensive
Refugee Services provider in the NW Region, Leon County followed up with this:
The educational system
is feeling the stress with so many refugees in a few schools while working with
those who have never attended school before while in refugee camps.”
Miami-Dade, Orange and Palm Beach County school districts
are home to the cities of Miami, Orlando and Boynton Beach, Florida. Dallas and
Travis County are home to the cities of Dallas and Austin, Texas.
Boynton Beach, Florida appears to be a new placement city for Congolese refugees. Reports generated from the Refugee Processing Center no DRC refugees were placed in Boynton Beach between January 1, 2015 through May, 2019.
Since January 2015, 5057 Congolese refugees were placed in 22 Texas cities with Houston and Fort Worth topping the list.
Boynton Beach, Florida appears to be a new placement city for Congolese refugees. Reports generated from the Refugee Processing Center no DRC refugees were placed in Boynton Beach between January 1, 2015 through May, 2019.
Since January 2015, 5057 Congolese refugees were placed in 22 Texas cities with Houston and Fort Worth topping the list.
