Castro visits refugee camp, encourages students to help

After visiting a refugee camp today in Matamoros, Mexico, 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro said he encourages college students to become active and help people, such as migrants seeking asylum.

“The great thing about our students is that they bring a lot of energy and a lot of idealism and effectiveness to this fight against these horrible policies,” Castro said in an interview with The Rider after a news conference at Xeriscape Park in Downtown Brownsville.

Castro, a former U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was scheduled to meet with LGBTQ and disabled refugees attempting to seek asylum in the U.S. early this morning in Matamoros, according to a news release.

Asked how his experience at the camp was, Castro replied: “It’s sad. It’s a disaster, this policy. People are living in squalor. … This is United-States-sanctioned squalor and desperation here and we did this empathy program and allow people to have an asylum claim to remain in the United States until that claim is adjudicated.”

According to a tweet from Castro, the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful said he crossed back into the U.S. with 12 LGBTQ and disabled asylum-seekers “who should not be included in the remain in Mexico policy.”

His tweet also states their cases are now under review.

We crossed back into the US with 12 LGBTQ and disabled asylum seekers who should not be included in the remain in Mexico policy.

Their cases are now under review. pic.twitter.com/vQGr3WueMQ

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 7, 2019