Border Angels

Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash

Border Angels is a non-profit organization that advocates for many rights. These include human rights, humane immigration reform and social justice, all with a focus on issues related to the US and Mexican border. Their mission states, “Border Angels promotes a culture of love through advocacy, education, by creating a social consciousness, and engaging in direct action to defend the rights of migrants and refugees,” (Border Angels, n.d.). This organization was established in 1986 and was originally targeting farmworker migrants living near North San Diego. It has now expanded and includes areas all along the Mexico and US border. Border Angles has lots to offer, their work includes conducting water drops in the desserts, reaching out to day laborers, providing legal representation to children in hopes of a green card, supporting migrant shelters in Tijuana, Mexico, free asylum seekers from detention centers, as well as providing educational programs and community presentations. The water drop program was started due to the US government implementing an Operation Gatekeeper, one of the most inhumane border enforcement policies. This policy caused the death of over 11,000 migrants as they would die from dehydration. The water drop program allows for the volunteers at Border Angels to leave thousands of gallons of water and non-perishable supplies in the desert along the most popular paths traveled by immigrants to aid in the health of the travelers. Border Angels also offers an extensive immigration service. They assist immigrants with the process of their citizenship by providing low cost and free legal services. This program has allowed them to raise awareness of migrants in the US as well as immigrant rights through the use of their educational resources that were developed by community members (Border Angels, n.d.).

-Kirstyn V.-