UPDATE: City officials have confirmed to KTSM that as of Wednesday the Convention Center has returned back to normal operations due to a drop in migrant encounters and releases. They do add that the former Basset Middle School is still being used to house migrants, with there being 41 people residing there as of last night.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) —The El Paso Office of Emergency Management (OEM), is collaborating with the City of El Paso and the El Paso Independent School District, to use two vacant schools to serve as temporary shelters for migrants.
OEM will be preparing the former Bassett Middle School located in Central El Paso, and the former Morehead Middle School located in West El Paso. The City of El Paso will also be using the convention center in downtown as a temporary shelter. Three hotels will also be used as emergency shelters to ensure that migrants are able to get off the streets and out of the freezing temperatures. Shelters will be for priority use for women, children, and families.
“All eyes are on El Paso and for this reason, we must show the world the compassion our community is known for and illustrate the resilience and strength of our region,” said City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. “El Paso ISD has been a phenomenal partner to help us stand up this shelter with amazing timeliness.”
The city and OEM will continue sending roving teams to the areas where migrants are congregating to provide transportation services and/or temporary shelter.
OEM is working with various agencies including the American Red Cross, United Way, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, Salvation Army, and others to provide essential services such as food, bathrooms, showers, toiletries, and clothes.
For more information about the communities response to the humanitarian crisis including the City’s Migrant Situational Awareness Dashboard, visit www.ElPasoTexas.gov/Migrant-Crisis.
