Colorado nonprofit helps migrants get to their final destination
At the southern border, cities expected to see even more migrants are not experiencing that after Title 42 was lifted earlier this week.
The measure allowed migrants to be removed from the country amidst health concerns.
In Denver, hundreds of migrants arrived within the last week, but many don't plan to stay. They are headed to states like New York, Chicago, Ohio, and California.
The city of Denver has spent more than $492,000 on one-way bus tickets to destinations across the country since December.
That's for more than 1,900 migrants, who arrived in Denver from the southern border.
Months later, the effort to send them to other states continues.
Vive Wellness says it has helped close to 114 migrants get on the right bus to get to their desired destination.
Daniel Castillo, is an immigrant on temporary protected status and his colleague, Carlos, volunteered to be navigators for the migrants leaving from Union station.
They work with both Papagayo and Vive Wellness, two nonprofits helping migrants get around and locate shelter.
"These people that arrive here, get here with many fears and so my job as a navigator is to guide them in the process, but also calm down their anxiety," Castillo said.
They translate for them and in some cases even provide phones, thanks to donations the nonprofit has received.
"If you have a family with children or just anybody that is leaving in a bus with four transfers and they don't have a phone, where they are... it's not a good thing," said Yoli Casas, executive director for Vive Wellness.
She has been helping with this effort since December.
"Most people have their immigration appointments in other states. So, they were just making a stop here," Casas added.
Migrants like Jendry, a migrant who is headed to Orlando. Florida where he will meet with family after fleeing his home in Venezuela.
"No matter how tough the journey is, there is always a reward," Jendry said.
His reward is being able to get to the U.S. and start a new life.
It'll take him a couple days to get to Florida, but he doesn't mind.
"We have been traveling for months. So, two days is nothing," Jendry expressed.
The same applies to the hundreds, who have received a bus ticket from the city to get to their desired destination.
For Castillo, a Venezuelan on temporary protected status, the work he does as a navigator hits home.
"We are immigrants too and we suffered and went through a lot of the things they are now going through too. We were also scared to be in a new country. So, this motivates me to be here and support them throughout their process," Castillo said.
Vive Wellness says the majority of the people, who arrived in Denver a couple days ago have already left for other cities.
According to the nonprofit, only about 15% of migrants are settling in Denver.
