SAN ANTONIO — Tucked behind fencing off of San Pedro, the City's Migrant Resource Center is housing hundreds of legal migrants arriving daily into San Antonio.
The center allows the City and non-profit partners to serve arriving migrants at a single point of entry and assist with onward travel. Since July 7, more than 25,000 migrants have been assisted according to the City's Department of Human Services.
DHS spokesman Roland Martinez said majority of the asylum seekers, many of whom are from South America, stay for about 24-48 hours before flying to host city destinations across the country.
However, one business owner claims the migrants loiter in and around his shop during their temporary stays at the north side center.
Sam Hasan of Sammy's Embroidery believes the center's staff isn't doing enough to educate arrivals who leave the facility during the day.
"They walk into my shop asking me for toothpaste, toothbrushes and we're not set up for that," said Hasan.
Hasan believes the solution is simple and said the center should hire someone to help direct people to the right businesses for basic necessities.
Martinez told KENS 5 the migrants do receive a rundown of basic information, necessities and rules during intake.
"They're also given rules about panhandling out in the neighborhood and told not to loiter around nearby businesses," said Martinez.
To ensure safety, Martinez said there are officers from the San Antonio Police Department on site.
SAPD confirmed to KENS 5 they have about 30 officers assigned to patrol the center and at the airport, where majority of the migrants arrive. SAPD does not assign officers in the shopping center where Hasan's shop is located, however the plaza did recently hire its own security guard.
Martinez said he wasn't aware of any incidents involving migrants behaving poorly in public.
"The migrants here have been very cordial and just look forward to their next destination," he said.
Still, Hasan isn't convinced enough is being done to inform them, calling the situation 'a nightmare' for business.
"Without directing them to do the right things, they are gonna keep walking around and entering into any business," said Hasan.
Martinez said anyone with concerns about the Migrant Resource Center can visit the human services page on the city's website and find information under immigrant services.