Amid a weekend raid, Catholic Charities is clarifying its support for refugees, not criminals

San Antonio— An exclusive interview tonight with the president and CEO of Catholic Charities says his agency never paid any money to house members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua at the Palatia Apartments, which were raided by SAPD this weekend.

This weekend, we first broke the story with an exclusive video before dawn as nearly 300 homes near San Antonio International Airport were hit.

Officials at Catholic Charities in San Antonio today clarified their role in assisting migrants.

Antonio Fernandez explained that Catholic Charities has a contract with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to manage the funds they have specifically for migrants from countries affected by the crisis. Catholic Charities then helps ORR program participants meet their basic needs. “We provide accommodation for refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan and other countries,” he said. “However, those who enter through the southern border without proper immigration status are not eligible for our housing assistance.”

“We help those who come with government contracts, such as refugees from Afghanistan or Ukraine,” he added. “We don’t have leases with apartment buildings; We only assist with housing financing when individuals qualify for financing through ORR,” Fernandez said

When asked about the recent influx of migrants, Fernandez confirmed that those found in a recent incident were not associated with Catholic Charities. “Absolutely not,” he said. “The people we support do not include those who come from other places and finance their own accommodation.”

Fernandez explained the nationalities of the migrants they help, including Ukrainians, Afghans, Syrians and Cubans seeking political asylum. “Venezuelans often have to go through additional processes,” he noted.

In response to safety concerns, Fernandez emphasized that Catholic Charities has taken strict measures at the Migrant Resource Center. “We have police on site and are using metal detectors to ensure everyone’s safety,” he said. “We have never had an incident at the center in over two years.”

Speaking about the impact of recent events on their work, Antonio expressed concern about current humanitarian issues. “People come here because they are desperate,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are individuals who take advantage of vulnerable populations, complicating our efforts to help those in need.”

He asserted that Catholic Charities did not knowingly support anyone with criminal connections. “With our security measures in place, I can say with certainty that this did not happen,” he said.

Antonio addressed the public’s reaction following the incident, noting that it had an impact on staff morale. “Our mission is to help everyone in San Antonio and Bexar County, regardless of their circumstances,” he said. “We will continue our work to support those who seek help.”

He also tells us that recent arrests show how criminals take advantage of vulnerable people. “When you see poor or helpless people, there will always be people who will try to take advantage of them. I think these people are taking advantage of good people who come to America to work. This breaks my heart. “All these people are here to help, and then there are one or two bad apples trying to do terrible things,” said the president of Catholic Charities. “Is it fair to say that, as far as you know, you didn’t help anyone, even though you knew they were members of Tren de Aragua? Oh my god, not at all. We had no one. With all the security and the San Antonio Police Department at the gate, I can assure you that this did not happen to us.

I asked Fernandez, “Is it fair to say that, as far as you know, you didn’t help anyone because you knew they were members of Tren de Aragua?” Oh my god, not at all. We had no one. With all the security guards and San Antonio police at the gate, I can assure you that this did not happen to us.

He also tells us that Catholic Charities and other non-governmental organizations are not allowed to use FEMA funds to house migrants. They are only allowed to provide food, hygiene items and temporary shelter at the Migrant Resource Center.

For more information about Catholic Charities’ programs and how you can help, visit their website or contact their office directly.