SAN ANTONIO — Government funding could run out for the Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio. A federal budget has been passed for 2024.
The San Antonio City Council, in a lengthy discussion Thursday, debated on whether the city could or should fund the resource center if the money runs out.
Some neighbors who live next door, or near the migrant resource center took their concerns directly to city council.
Gracie Davis, while not present at the city council meeting, sees the fence of the migrant center from her backyard. She's considering moving due to what she's experienced.
"You just see like just droves and droves of groups of people every day," Davis said. "They're walking in front of your car. For my husband, they tried to get into his truck a few times, like he was stopped at a stop sign and they would just pull the handle to try to jump into the truck. Those kinds of things are unnerving."
For Erika Noriega, a mom of four daughters, the migrant resource center remaining where it is, is a question of safety.
"I've had grown men from the center come in, approach my children while they're playing basketball, ask them for things and made them feel very uncomfortable," Noriega said. "Please just move it to somewhere that's not residential."
Not all neighbors take issue with the center. Jennifer Neal is the president of the Shearer Hills Neighborhood Association. She even has playground equipment in her front yard, in case children from the migrant center stop by.
"I would like the U.S. government to continue to fund it. And if that doesn't happen, and we need to shift things around in San Antonio to figure that out. I would prefer that that happen,” Neal said. "My kids, as selfish as this might sound, I love that they're getting the experience to meet people in a different a different circumstance, a completely different situation than they will ever know."
Neal recognizes her experience, a block away from the migrant center, is different from those right next door.
"And even many, many of those people still have an extreme amount of compassion for the people on this journey," Neal said. "So I urge our city leaders to keep in mind everyone, including asylum seekers, including neighborhood residents."
No action was taken during Thursday's meeting.