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Copyright © 2019 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE – Santa Fe won’t provide shelter for asylum-seekers who have crossed the border in southern New Mexico, after Mayor Alan Webber had said last week the city was preparing to do so.

Instead of processing and temporarily housing asylum-seekers arriving in New Mexico, Webber now says Santa Fe will focus efforts on fundraising and organizing volunteers to help migrants.

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Webber provided an update at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting. He said that in conversations with leaders of local organizations and government officials, it was decided that Santa Fe would not best serve as a shelter location for some of the numerous migrants crossing the border and being dropped off in Las Cruces.

Because most asylum-seekers are looking to leave the state to get to sponsors in other parts of the country, Albuquerque was considered to be a better central location because of its larger size and more transportation options, Webber said.

Taking migrants to Santa Fe and then transporting them back to Albuquerque for bus or plane service would not be an efficient use of resources, the mayor said.

“In some ways, you have to let your head overrule your heart on this one, because there’s a huge sentiment that we want to be helpful and supportive in a visible way,” Webber told the Journal on Thursday.

He said the city will organize ways to provide money, clothes, blankets, sheets, nonperishable food, personal care items, and other goods, along with recruiting volunteers to help in Albuquerque and Las Cruces.

“It’ll be more efficient and more humane,” Webber said.

During the council meeting, he said Albuquerque is looking to expand its intake of migrants and is considering using Expo New Mexico facilities as a processing and shelter hub.

Santa Fe has few large indoor spaces that could accommodate large numbers of people. But there are dormitories at the now-vacant, city-owned college campus that was formerly the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Webber said Santa Fe city government will now likely act as a “convener” to bring together local organizations, including nonprofits, to determine what they can contribute and to inform them about what the other cities need.

He said he has been in regular contact with Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque and Mayor Ken Miyagishima of Las Cruces, who reached out to Webber for help last week.

In response to Journal questions, Webber said that no concerns were raised about whether a plan to shelter migrants in Santa Fe could affect the local tourism and hospitality industry, and that no such issue played a role in the decision not to provide shelter.

The city is working with the Santa Fe Community Foundation to set up an assistance fund for those wishing to donate, Webber told the council.

An Albuquerque city councilor has proposed that city government spend up to $250,000 to help the effort, which until now has been organized by faith groups and other organizations.

Jobs for volunteers, who Webber said would have to go through orientation and training, will vary depending on need and skills. He said Las Cruces is using volunteers to handle hospitality and orientation, intake, medical support, transportation, organizing donations, and more.

During the council meeting, Webber also noted that Keller told him Albuquerque is looking for Portuguese-speaking volunteers to communicate with immigrants who speak that language.

“We’ll keep putting out word as the process and opportunity for people to volunteer gets a little more clear,” Webber said.