WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Anacostia Park has become the place where Luis Marquez says he clears his head and reflects on the struggles of being an immigrant in the United States. The Venezuelan asylum seeker met up with WUSA9 at the Southeast public park to talk about his first year in D.C.
Marquez was among the first that arrived in the District aboard one of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's migrant buses. The first charter bus arrived near Union Station on April 13 of last year.
'"Who are these people? Where are they taking us? Where are we going? Then I realized it was volunteers," said Marquez as he recounted stepping off the bus. He says he remembers being greeted by volunteers from the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network (MSMAN).
"In those early days it was utter chaos. We didn't know when buses were arriving," said Amy Fisher who has been working with the group since the arrival of the second migrant bus.
The grassroots team has been on the ground since day once welcoming asylum seekers upon their arrival to Washington, D.C. The group of volunteers has aided with booking transportation to other destinations, sorting donations, finding housing, and supporting those migrants that have made D.C. their home.
“Last April, when we turned up at Union Station with sandwiches, hygiene kits, and little to no information to go on, we couldn't have imagined where we would be today,” said Claudia Tristán, core organizer with MSMAN. “Over the past year our mutual aid work has grown and changed, but our commitment to providing a dignified welcome remains strong.”
The groups' efforts have been solely funded by donations and have been independent to the work done by other organizations and the local government.
"Governor Abbott tried his best to make a political point and it failed, it blew up in his face. What happened on the other side is a community welcoming with open arms, that hasn't gone away," added Fisher.
Marquez says the support and sense of community provided by MSMAN and members like Fisher are what have kept him in D.C.
"I have a drivers license, I have a place to live, an apartment. I have a job right now, it's not stable but I have had several jobs and since I have been here I haven't stopped working," said Marquez. He says Fischer has been there every step of the way to answer all of his questions as he deals with the barriers of resettlement.
Not knowing English has been the biggest battle for Marquez, but he says has been able to learn enough to work in catering for an events company. He has also enrolled at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School to continue learning English.
When Marquez arrived in D.C., resources like temporary housing funded by Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration were not available for asylum seekers like him so he relied on the help provided by MSMAN.
"Between April and October 2022, the District’s efforts to support arriving migrants largely relied on Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), and DHS staff who took on additional responsibilities to address the crisis," said Kevin Valentine, Jr. a spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Human Services.
Bowser launched the Office of Migrant Services (OMS) as a response to the arrival of migrant buses to D.C. According to the office, 2,647 asylum seekers have arrived in D.C. on 68 buses since Oct. 6, 2022. Forty-six buses were from Arizona and 22 from Texas, according to OMS.
The D.C. government says 387 migrants have made the District their home. An estimated 1,350 adults and children have lived in D.C. hotels provided by the Bowser Administration.
"We still have some services that we are providing for immediate housing needs. We can request reimbursement from the federal government, and we have," said Mayor Muriel Bowser to WUSA9.
OMS says for now they are providing lodging, meals, cleaning and laundry, security, site management, transportation, initial case management, and initial welcome and assessment services. The office says they have employed a program manager that will eventually transition contracted program management to District employees.
Since February 28 of this year, the D.C. government has spent approximately $15.1 million, according to OMS. We reached out to the D.C. Office of Migrant Services for an interview, but a spokesperson for Mayor Bowser's office said no one would be made available.
For now, migrant buses are on hold due to COVID-era restrictions that allow border officials to turn down certain migrants according to MSMAN. Title-42 is set to expire May 11.