(KRON) — Five children and seven adult migrants were dropped off on the streets of downtown San Jose after they were detained in El Paso, Texas, county officials said.
Aundraya Martinez, Santa Clara County’s Office of Immigrant Relations manager, said the group of detained migrants was put on a bus in Texas and dropped off in San Jose Saturday night.
They were left near First and Alma streets in the Guadalupe Washington neighborhood for three nights. The group was on the streets until Tuesday, when a concerned resident alerted the Washington Youth Center, Martinez said.
The Rapid Response Network found the migrant children and adults and helped them into a temporary shelter.
Santa Clara County is a sanctuary county that does not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
In recent weeks, migrants have overwhelmed Texas border cities and Border Patrol agents. Many migrants are fleeing from violent cartels.
The U.S. government offers no guarantees for migrants arriving at the border. More than 8,000 migrants turned up the last week of September in Eagle Pass, Texas. Some migrants are not waiting at border checkpoints, and instead crossing through the Rio Grande.
In August, the Border Patrol made 181,509 arrests on the Mexican border. People in families with children fueled the increase, with 93,999 arrests — the highest on record.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
