Immigrant Advocacy and community Organizing

At our core, all of us at Border Angels believe in a culture of love. It is fundamental to promote compassion and educate our community. We continue to stand up for the most vulnerable and denouncing hate through various forms and platforms of immigrant advocacy and community organizing. We partner with other organizations to ensure our immigrant families are spoken for and protected. 

Groups and Coallitions:

San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition

The San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition was formed in 1997 by our board president Luis Aragon to unite law enforcement agencies with community-based organizations to tackle the issues presented by hate crimes in our community.
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Members of the Coalition include representatives from all law enforcement agencies in the County and members of many diverse community based organizations. The coalition meets on a quarterly basis and has numerous subcommittees.

San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

Border Angels has been elected to serve on the advisory board of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC), a coalition of over 50 organizations defending the civil and human rights of immigrants and refugees. Recently, Border Angels contributed $25,000 to the SDIRC Immigrant Relief Fund to ensure that more immigrant families receive the support they need.

Rallies and Protests:

Art against state violence: En solidaridad con las vidas negras

Border Angels was proud to organize and manifest in front of the Otay Mesa Detention Center in solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement. In this display, many artists came together to show support and denounce hate and racism. The pictures were taken by our Water Drop Co-Director James Cordero.

Close the Concentration Camps Rally

In July of 2019, Border Angels staff, leaders, and volunteers joined thousand protesters and activists as they marched through San Ysidro, demanding the closure of unlawful camps where immigrants were being detained. 

The march took place after it was reported that several lawmakers visited these detention centers and made light of the horrible conditions adults and children alike were being subject to. 

Border Angels is an active member of the immigrant activist community, and will continue to participate in demonstrations such as this one to give a voice to the voiceless.

Otay Mesa Detention Center

Border Angels is a proud member of SDIRC, and were there in solidarity in an effort to get community donated masks to the folks inside the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Executive Director Dulce Garcia joined assembly woman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher and organizations like Pueblo Sin Fronteras and the American Friends Service Committee. The Otay Mesa Detention Center has confirmed over 217 people infected with COVID-19, the highest in the US, and this corporation has not only refused to provide any masks for its detainees, but instead has gassed and apprehended individuals for trying to create their own. The OMDC is a public health hazard, and is putting our folks’ lives directly at risk while profiting off of them . We have heard firsthand through our bond program how these individuals are fearing for their life everyday.

​Water Drop Co-Directors Jacqueline Arellano and James Cordero manifested among other activists and protesters at the vigil held for Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia, the man who lost his life inside the Otay Mesa Detention Center due to Covid-19. Border Angels stands in solidarity to a migrant life that was lost at the detention center, a death that was entirely preventable. We will not wait idly by as our folks perish in detention. One life lost is one life too many. 

Immigrant Day Of Action

It has been an honor to participate in Immigrant Day of Action! Last year, Border Angels was part of two lobbying visits (via zoom) with Senator Ben Huezo and Senator Pat Bates. We were joined by so many amazing advocates from organizations like AFSC, San Diego Border Dreamers, Alianza Comunitaria, and so many others. We were able to inform local assembly members as they heard our personal stories and connections to Health 4 All Seniors, Health and Safety for All, CalEITC, and the Vision Act. Dulce Garcia was also able to participate in a panel on the main line in a discussion on COVID-19 and ICE. The virtual aspect was certainly a challenge, but we are always ready to adapt when it comes to advocating and protecting our immigrant community. Our undocumented folks pay over 3 billion in taxes in the state of California and yet are left out of the stimulus packet. Undocumented individuals, especially seniors, have no access to health care programs like Medi-Cal. These are all key to navigating and surviving a pandemic. We will not remain silent as our essential farm workers, domestic workers, and day laborers risk their health and bodies yet continue to be treated without dignity and respect. Thank you so much to CIPC for hosting this collective action for change!