"There were maybe 100," Muñoz, who owns Houston-area restaurant Sabor Venezolano, said.
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That figure has grown exponentially over the years due to political unrest in the country.
In 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Venezuelans accounted for some of the highest number of border encounters for individuals not from Mexico or Central America's Northern Triangle.
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That trend continues into 2022, which Muñoz said can prove difficult for individuals moving here without a support system.
"You need somebody to support you. When I came to the United States, my sister-in-law lived here," Muñoz said. "How can you come to the United States if you don't know anybody here?"
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That was the restaurant-owner's reaction to Thursday's news that Venezuelan migrants were flown to Massachusetts by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Here in Texas, they have been bussing migrants to other cities in America since April.
Governor Abbott's office provided updated numbers on Friday, saying over 8,100 migrants have been sent to Washington D.C., more than 2,500 have been sent to New York City, and over 600 have been sent to Chicago.
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In addition to those numbers, ABC13 reached out to the Texas Division of Emergency Management who said the state has spent over $12 million on those trips.
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