In Part I of this story, examining the culture present at the Otero County Processing Center, we introduced you to two members of the Mexican Consulate in El Paso who spoke to their impressions of the facility.

In Part II, a couple of faith-based volunteers who regularly visit the facility share their experience as they’ve served the detainees inside.

Roy Gomez: “So, I try to give all these men information to not only help themselves but help each other and help their families and loved ones back home.”

“I tell you what, I just love coming here. I have never met so much graciousness in my life, in any facility like I have here. These people bend over backwards, if I ask for something, they say, ‘well, we’ll see if we can get it for ya’, and if they can, they give it to me.”

“I have not got one negative impression from any of the staff around here. They’ve all been – I guess you could use the word – magnanimous. They have been just fantastic.”

Samuel Griffin: “The facility is super clean, super clean; well maintained, from the floor, shiny; shinier than any floors I’ve ever seen before. The walls are clean.”

“There’s peace in there. Staff is just phenomenal. Everybody treats me with respect: smiles, professional, courteous. I mean, from a scale from one to ten, I’d give them a ten; I’d go above it and give them a 20. They do a great job out here at Otero.  From the chaplain to every guard. Everybody follows protocol. And just respect, I feel comfortable coming in; no judging, which I feel grateful and thankful for.

“It makes me feel good inside that they’re there to help support these detainees, so that they can come in and receive the word of God. It’s an awesome thing.”