Back From Border, Woman Raising Funds To Help Asylum Seekers

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A Hamptons resident who traveled recently to help asylum seekers at the border was deeply moved by her experience and wants to keep doing all she can to help.

Lisa Votino-Tarrant, who lives on the Shinnecock Reservation, traveled to the border recently with the Sanctuary Caravan, which is part of the New Sanctuary Coalition, and spent two weeks in Tijuana.

"The conditions in Tijuana are brutal for those seeking safety in the U.S.," she wrote on a GoFundMe, "Support Ongoing Work With Asylum Seekers In Tijuana."There is so much work to be done that my work there is not finished. A fellow volunteer is keeping our community space open and operating for the sometimes hundreds of people that come through our door daily."

The community space, or "The Office," as they call it, offers people a bathroom, shower, at least one meal a day, coffee, water, a place to charge electronics, a play area for children, art supplies, books, and a safe space for people to take a break, she said. While it was originally only supposed to a be a short-term solution, it was quickly realized that the services provided are absolutely essential, so the goal is to keep "The Office" up and running, Votino-Tarrant said.

"We also continue to do accompaniment every morning before the office opens. This is extremely hard work and people's support means everything," she said.

Funds raised before she left helped with Votino Tarrant's travel expenses and the remainder was used to purchase supplies for "'The Office', including art supplies that were used in amazing ways," she said. "While we are in need of physical donations, monetary is best so volunteers in the office can purchase what is needed most that week. More asylum seekers arrive daily and under Trump's new asylum policy, we are also dealing with individuals and families who have been returned to Tijuana to await their U.S. court date, often six to eight weeks away. They are brought back to Tijuana with nothing and services on the Tijuana side are almost non-existent," she said.

A portion of funds raised will still pay for travel, and an extra suitcase to bring physical donations with her when she returns, but almost all will go to what is needed to keep "The Office" up and running, Votino-Tarrant said. "No donation is too small. If people chip in $5 or $10 it makes a world of difference. "

Votino-Tarrant also developed a presentation on her experience and on the asylum process as a whole and the changes that were made and is willing to speak to groups.

Votino-Tarrant said she had been thinking of volunteering since she is familiar with migrant shelters and the immigration issues and U.S. policy "that has contributed to all of this."

Votino-Tarrant added that she believes people have the right to migrate.

"For those who have no idea who I am, I have been a community organizer for over 15 years. I work mostly on civil rights and human rights issues. I have always told people that I go where I'm needed and people are currently needed in Tijuana. It is also prompted by my 6-year-old daughter Lily who has demanded I go to help. She is firmly against the wall and believes we should help everyone seeking asylum — yeah, my kid is kind of awesome.

"As she put it, 'Those are new friends, Mama, can you go help them?' Yes, Lily, I can," she wrote.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.