April 26, 2022
Нам бы день продержаться и ночь простоять - это было про нас и про прошедшие 27 часов.
We were running against the clock as the US worked to shut down the pedestrian crossing for Ukrainians under humanitarian parole and switch to a new UFU program.
We had almost 400 people at the Hub in the morning, a lot of arrivals throughout the day, and kept wresting with processing speed all day and into the early morning. The goal was to clear all people who arrived yesterday from the hub, but right up until 5am, it did not look like we were going to make it.
We had to tell people they may not make it. Over and over and over again. We had to tell them we have no information on the new program yet. I had to tell the first group. Into the microphone.. We had to comfort and hear and see them, many in despair. We had to look them in the eye as we said this, watching them clench their 3mo old closer, and hear them tell us they have no money.
Then we watched a group trying to make a break for the border, with one woman laying down on the ground in front of it and saying “they will have to carry me away,” and then added “that way,” and pointed to the US (ok, this was funny in retrospect).
And while we did this, we kept asking our government to process more. It is only fair that those that got in on the 24th would be able to pass, considering the new program got announced only a few days ago, the details have not yet been revealed.
Meanwhile many flights were delayed. There was mass panic at one point.
At 3am we got the good news that one more bus will go to the border, but had to make incredibly hard decisions about who will board it. We prioritized those who are vulnerable and families, and we almost lost the trust of the group. But we were honest with them, and told the last group of 31 people that we have to make hard choices, and we hoped they would do the same in our place.
At 5am we had 31 people who have not yet made it through. We all prayed. Then we held our breath and tried to make magic happen. One. More. Time.
We succeeded. The hub is empty. Everyone who arrived on the 24th made it through. Even those whose flights were delayed. CBP processed well over 1,000 people in 24 hours.
I can’t take any credit because this was truly a team effort, as every single success has been with this entire mad operation of trying to get Ukrainians out of Mexico that started four weeks ago for me, but really feels like a year.
And while we fully expect more to arrive today, a big hectic chapter of my life finally feels like it is behind me. There are no more land crossings for Ukrainians under humanitarian parole (except special cases). Those who arrived starting today will got though a much safer program and this is exactly what we’ve been asking our government for - to keep Ukrainian refugees safe as they travel to the US.
We helped ~22,000 people in the last ~5 weeks. I am so deeply humbled by everyone I met here
