ATLANTA — Legal asylum seekers are getting confused, missing their buses, and mis-communicating with the Greyhound Bus staff. One group says it's because they won't let the people who can help inside.
Atlanta Transit Angels is a nonprofit working with people trying to get to their final destination, but 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross reports they've been barred from the bus station.
They had been allowed inside from for months, where the group helped check bus tickets, give out food and blankets - until in January, when the group says the bus service's policy suddenly changed.
Atlanta Transit Angels say they don't know what happened, but they just want to help. So does Sandra Stimpson, a volunteer with the group.
When the Atlanta Transit Angels started, they had permission to greet legal asylum seekers inside the bus terminal on Forsyth Street. The people coming through are usually on their way to meet their sponsors in other cities, and the transit "angels" helped get them where they needed to go.
Stimpson said the system was working.
"It was much more relaxed and much easier to approach people," she said.
Another volunteer Nicole Cook agreed.
"When we started out, this was all very new. No one was doing this. So we had permission to be inside," she said.
Now the transit angels operate on a sidewalk across the street. Volunteers said in January - seemingly out of nowhere - they were told they had to leave. They said they can't get a straight answer from Greyhound, and the company has not returned 11Alive's calls for comment about why they changed their policy.
The transit angels say it just makes an already difficult situation worse.
"It's a completely overwhelming experience, and honestly, they're pretty scared.," Cook said. "They get the worst of the worst of the worst. They are at such a disadvantage. They've lost their home, they've lost everything they own."
Now, Stimpson said she goes directly to the bus doors to make sure she doesn't miss anyone.
Most of the asylum seekers coming in don't speak English, and the Greyhound workers don't speak Spanish. Stimpson said she feels like they could help be the go-between.
"I feel like we can help the Greyhound employees because they have a very difficult time," Stimpson said.
On this day alone, 25 people had missed their bus, and the Transit Angels helped get them reticketed and on their way. They just wish it was easier to help.
"I love the smiles. When I give a kid a beanie baby and he gives me a brilliant smile. It's worth it," Stimpson said.
While calls did go unanswered, Greyhound did provide a statement about the situation: "Greyhound accepts volunteers from certified non-profits on an as-needed basis at terminals that can safely accommodate additional assistance. For the safety of our customers and employees, there must be adequate space inside our terminal for additional volunteer personnel. In this specific instance, we have been in touch with the organization and the City of Atlanta and both are aware of our concerns."