President Trump visited Texas on Thursday in an effort to drum up support for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall along the border with Mexico, in the midst of a government shutdown that began over funding for the wall. Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and White House staff were with the president.
"I don't know that [Trump's] interested in hearing anyone else but those who are simply wanting to applaud what he's doing and what he wants to hear," Pimentel said.
The sister highlighted the work of the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, now housed in a former nursing home, has helped close to 150,000 people since 2014, sometimes up to 300 a day.
Pimentel said most of the people they help are women and children who have been released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement with a court date to consider their request for asylum.
"I think as Catholics, as people with faith, recognize that God asked us to support, defend, and protect all human life. And that's what we're doing here at the Respite Center," she said.
Though the Jan. 11 discussion`with the president included U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, local officials, and others working with immigrants, it was reported that representatives of local agencies and local elected officials were not invited to speak during the discussion.