Juanita, Ale, and Pocho immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba last year, and were among the thousands bused to D.C. from Texas. When they arrived, they met a local volunteer named Mara.

Mutual aid volunteers welcomed about 300 children and family members, all recently arrived migrants, with a Christmas party and dinner this weekend.

Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto introduced a last-minute amendment to ensure migrants residing in D.C. continue to be eligible for D.C.’s homeless continuum of care services.

Migrants are usually sent to Union Station. But Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided to send them to a new location, forcing nonprofit staff and mutual aid volunteers to pivot their operation of support.

Nearly 11,000 migrants in search of asylum have been sent by bus from Arizona and Texas since April. A significant number of them have decided to stay local.

According to Norton, the busing of migrants from the southwestern states has led to an increase in requests for federal funds.

The hotel has effectively become a family shelter for asylum seekers bused from red states. But families allegedly are not provided the same essential services typical of traditional family shelters and live under strict rules.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested support from the D.C. National Guard on two separate occasions.

Mayor Muriel Bowser had requested the deployment of troops to respond to the arrival of migrants from Texas and Arizona.

“We’re going to start off with what we know how to do. Then it’s only gonna get better,” says La Tejana co-owner Gus May.