Ruben Garcia, 70, is a man with the weight of the world — or at least the hemisphere — on his shoulders. The longtime director of Annunciation House, a migrant shelter in El Paso, Garcia has spent the last five years amid the influx of Central American asylum-seekers. Before 2014, Annunciation House consisted of three buildings in El Paso; today, with monthly apprehensions reaching their highest point in a decade, Garcia oversees a network of 25 “hospitality sites,” such as hotels and churches.
As of June, the network was receiving about 700 migrants a day. The sites provide food and shelter for a day or two before sending migrants on their way, usually to live with friends or family. The operation runs on individual donations, a sprawling volunteer network and just two full-time staff. The Observer spoke with Garcia about El Paso, immigration enforcement and American identity.
What was Annunciation House founded to do, and how has that changed over time?
