Jennifer Garner visits with migrant families and children in New Mexico

Xchelzin Peña
Updated
Actress Jennifer Garner came to New Mexico Wednesday to assess the emergency migrant situation at the state fairgrounds.

DEMING, N.M. – Actress Jennifer Garner was in New Mexico on Wednesday to assess the emergency migrant situation.

Volunteers at the Southwestern New Mexico State Fairgrounds said the actress visited with migrant families and was seen playing with the children.

Luna County Detention Center Director Chris Brice, who’s overseeing operations, confirmed Garner's appearance during a regular county meeting on Thursday. Brice said the actress is a national board member of Save the Children, a charity organization that assists children caught in times of crisis.

“They are a group that has been out here probably a little over two weeks now. They set up the kids’ safe zone/play zone. They have a lot of volunteers that come in and do arts and crafts with the kids and stuff like that," Brice said. “So, she flew in yesterday, did a tour of our facility with NBC News out of New York, so they would be doing a story on that. She’s committed to go back and lobby her board for funding to sustain this for as long as it takes.”

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Jennifer Garner attends Michael Muller's HEAVEN, presented by The Art of Elysium, on January 5, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775261064 ORIG FILE ID: 1077970732
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Jennifer Garner attends Michael Muller's HEAVEN, presented by The Art of Elysium, on January 5, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775261064 ORIG FILE ID: 1077970732

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With little warning, city and county officials were told in mid-May that U.S. Border Patrol agents were going to drop off migrants at local transportation hubs in Deming, New Mexico.

Volunteers have now processed more than 7,000 people, with an average 245 a day coming in, and about the same number leaving, Brice said.

Garner is best known for the television series "Alias." She also starred in "Daredevil" and its spin-off "Elektra." Other movie roles include "Catch and Release," "Juno" and "13 going on 30."

This article originally appeared on Deming Headlight: Jennifer Garner visits with migrant families and children in New Mexico