New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia working with asylum seekers sent by buses from Texas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Texas Division of Emergency Management has confirmed buses carrying migrants to New Jersey are part of Operation Lone Star.
Those arrivals began when New York City Mayor Eric Adams instituted new rules about when those buses could arrive in New York.
People, not buses, are caught in the middle of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's policy of sending immigrants to cities like Philadelphia with Democratic leadership, the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia says.
"At the core, this is about people," Peter Pedemonti, the co-director of the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, said. "This is about families."
For months, Pedemonti and the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia have welcomed asylum seekers sent by Abbott to the city.
"A big thing of what we do is welcome people with love," Pedemonti said, "seeing their dignity and respecting them as people."
Pedemonti says that is the opposite of what the Texas governor is doing.
"People get here and they've been put on a bus from Texas with very little food or water," Pedemonti said. "They have the emergency packets of food and they get here hungry, cold and most of them are moving on, but they're not sure what to expect because that journey is long and traumatic."
According to Abbott's office, Texas has bused more than 3,400 migrants to the city since November 2022.
"We do not receive buses, we receive people," Sister Eileen Reilly, of IHM, said. "Mainly, my experience in the past year or so, women and children. Incredible strength. Incredible courage and when they see us and we speak their language, they are like, 'Woah."
New Sanctuary volunteers include clergy, like Sister Riley and Pastor Adan Mairena, both working with asylum seekers for decades.
"These are folks who I'm blown away," Mairena said. "These are smart, courageous, brave people that crossed borders and countries and dangerous situations to get here."
In recent weeks, Texas has also sent buses to Trenton — a way to bypass rules set by Adams, who signed an executive order requiring all buses transporting migrants to announce their arrival 24 hours in advance.
"The last thing we need is governors like Greg Abbott doing political stunts," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said. "This is not a time for stunts. This is a time to figure out a solution that's broad and comprehensive."
According to Murphy's office, more than 1,800 hundred migrants have passed through transit sites in New Jersey since Dec. 31.
As the immigration battle continues, volunteers hope people can see migrants not as the buses they arrive on but as people.
"I just would say open your hearts, look with God's eyes and if you don't believe in God, that's OK," Reilly said. "Open your heart and look at another human being."
Pedemonti says two challenges for migrants in Philadelphia are housing and the time it takes for work permits.
