“We keep coming because we encounter the face of Christ in the migrants,” said Strassburger. “That’s why we keep coming back.”
Strassburger crosses the international border to lead biweekly masses. The people in attendance are stuck inside the Senda de Vida shelter in Reynosa.
Give or take 50 migrants from around the world live in the shelter. A complicated immigration system in the U.S. means Senda de Vida is home for dozens of men, women and children.
“People who are in shelters now are people who don’t have other options,” said Strassburger.
To pass time, migrants often turn to the discussion of politics or immigration—current affairs that directly affect their daily lives.
The topic on the table on the day Spectrum News visited Senda de Vida was the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
“What he wanted was to take out the head of state, so he could better negotiate with another,” Leo Vecho, who is from Colombia, said of President Donald Trump’s ordered arrest of Maduro.
Vechi left his country toward the end of President Joe Biden’s term. Once he arrived in Reynosa, he attempted to access the CBP One mobile app, run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), that allowed immigrants to schedule appointments to legally enter the United States.
As soon as Trump took office, his administration eliminated CBP One; effectively eliminating an avenue for asylum seekers and other migrants who long to enter the U.S. The South American man has been stuck in this shelter ever since.
“One wants a better future for their family, so we chose to give it a shot for the United States.” Vechi said of his reason to leave his country.
Strassburger and Vechi discussed the potential fallout from the Maduro move when Spectrum News visited.
“This could also instead provoke a greater refugee and migrant crisis,” said Strassburger.
Then Vechi slowly mulled the question in the discussion of what could happen to Colombia in a post-Maduro era.
Vechi said, “That’s a hard question… because Colombia coming to aid Venezuela could look bad in the eyes of some nations, or not helping could sour others.”
The migrant closed out the talk by saying, regardless of what happens back home, he has to keep faith that one day immigration policies will loosen.
“I have faith the opportunity will come, and I will continue to pray,” said Vechi.