The Border Angels

The
Border Angels
CHAPTER 1
About the Border Angels
1
SECTION 1
Who We Are
About Border Angels
1. Founded in 1986 by Enrique
Morones.
2. Advocates humane
immigration reform.
3. Provides assistance to day
laborers.
4. Provides free legal
assistance to migrants.
5. Seeks to educate the public
about US-Mexico border
issues.
The metal fence separating the US-Mexican border.
Border Angels is an all volunteer non-profit organization that advocates for human rights, humane immigration reform, and social justice with
a special focus on issues related to the USMexican border. Border Angels engages in community education and awareness programs that
include guided trips to the desert to place water
2
along migrant crossing routes as well as to the
border to learn about the history of US-Mexico
border policy and experience the border fence
firsthand.
Border Angels also works to serve San Diego
County’s immigrant population through various
migrant outreach programs such as Day Laborer
outreach and our free legal assistance program held in our office
every Tuesday. Border Angels works to dispel the various myths
surrounding immigration in the United States and to bring back
truth and justice.
Border Angels helped to ignite the “Immigrant Spring” of 2006
with its national “Marcha Migrante,” which has since become an
annual event. Border Angels is involved in a national anti-bullying
campaign as well as an anti-hate program that works to expose
and oppose national hate groups such as F.A.I.R. (Federation for
American Immigration Reform) and the Minutemen.
History
Border Angels was started in 1986 by founder and director Enrique
Morones to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants living in
the canyons of North San Diego County. Since then, Border Angels
has expanded its work to the entire US-Mexican border region, collaborating with hundreds of universities and human rights groups.
It has also partnered with multiple shelters and community organizations on both sides of the border.
Our Mission
Border Angels’ mission is to reduce the number of fatalities incurred along the California border through the placement of lifesaving water stations in the desert. Since the start of the North
American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, there has been a steady
increase in the militarization
of the United States/Mexico
border, primarily due to the
implementation of Operation
Gatekeeper.
Many years of devastating
economic and immigration
policies have created a situation in which thousands of
people form Mexico and
Latin America risk their lives
each year crossing into the
United States in hopes of
finding a better life.
In the years since the inception of Operation Gatekeeper, an estimated 10,000
3
early Twentieth century immigration, when masses of Italian,
German, and Eastern European immigrants came to
America. While first generation, non-English speaking immigrants predictably have lower rates of English proficiency
than native speakers, 91% of second generation immigrants
are fluent or near fluent English speakers. By the third generation, 97% speak English fluently or near fluently. (Source: Shirin Hakimzadeh and D’Vera Cohn, “English Usage Among Hispanics in the United States,” Pew Hispanic Forum, Dec. 6, 2007. Janet Murguia and Cecilia Muñoz, “From
Immigrant to Citizen,” The American Prospect (Oct. 23, 2005)
• Immigrants do pay taxes.
Undocumented immigrants pay taxes. Between one half and
three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay state and
federal taxes. They also contribute to Medicare and provide
as much as 7 billion dollars a year to the Social Security
Fund. Further still, undocumented workers pay sales taxes
where applicable and property taxes—directly if they own
and indirectly if they rent. people have lost their lives during that journey due to extreme
weather, lack of food and water, and the overall perilous nature of
the trip.
Our work is driven by the words: “When I was hungry, who ave
me to eat? - When I was thirsty, who gave me to drink?” (Matthew
25:35). In this we make it our mission to ensure that all people are
received with a sense of humanity and compassion, and that the
cycle of death along the border does not continue into the coming
years.
(Source: Immigration Policy Center, “Undocumented Immigrants as Taxpayers,” (November 2007), Eduardo Porter “Illegal Immigrants are Bolstering Social Security with Billions,”
New York Times, (April 5, 2005)
The Immigrants
• Immigrants do want to learn English.
The development of English proficiency among non-English
speaking immigrants today mirrors that of Nineteenth and
4
• Immigrants do not increase the crime rate.
(Source: The Urban Institute, “Trends in the Low-Wage Immigrant Labor Force, 2000-2005,” March, 2007, Rakesh Kochhar,
“Growth in the Foreign Born Workforce and Employment of
the Native Born,” Pew Hispanic Center, August 10, 2006)
Recent research has shown that immigrant communities do
not increase the crime rate and that immigrants commit fewer
crimes than native born Americans. While the undocumented immigrant population doubled from 1994 to 2005, violent crime dropped by 34% and property crimes decreased by
32%. Furthermore, Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson has
found that first generation immigrants are 45% less likely to
commit violent crimes than Americanized, third generation
immigrants.
• Immigrants do not drain the US economy.
The immigrant community is not a drain on the U.S. economy but, in fact, proves to be a net benefit. Research reported
by both the CATO Institute and the President’s Council of
Economic Advisors reveals that the average immigrant pays
a net 80,000 dollars more in taxes than they collect in government services. For immigrants with college degrees the net
fiscal return is $198,000. Furthermore, The American Farm
Bureau asserts that without guest workers the U.S. economy
would lose as much as $9 billion a year in agricultural production and 20 percent of current production would go overseas.
(Source: Immigration Policy Center, “Ímmigrants and Crime:
Are They Connected,” December, 2007, Robert Sampson,
“Open Doors Don’t Invite Criminals,” The New York Times,
March 11, 2006, A15; Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors, “Immigration’s Economic Impact,”
June 20, 2007)
(Source: CATO Institute, CATO Handbook for Congress: Policy Recommendations for the 108th Congress, Executive Of-
• Immigrants do not take jobs away from Americans.
A recent study produced by the Pew Hispanic Center reveals
that “Rapid increases in the foreign-born population at the
state level are not associated with negative effects on the employment of native-born workers.” In fact, given that the
number of native born low wage earners is falling nationally,
immigrants are playing an important role in offsetting that
decline. The Urban Institute reports that between 2000 and
2005 the total number of low wage workers declined by approximately 1.8 million while the number of unskilled immigrant workers increased by 620,000, thus offsetting the total
decline by about a third. 5
fice of the President: Council of Economic Advisors, “Immigration’s Economic Impact,” June 20, 2007, Derrick Z. Jackson, “Undocumented Workers Contribute Plenty,” The Boston Globe, April 12, 2006)
individuals tend to use fewer health care services because
they are relatively healthier than their native born
counterparts. For example, in Los Angeles County, “total
medical spending on undocumented immigrants was $887
million in 2000 – 6 percent of total costs, although undocumented immigrants comprise 12 percent of the region’s residents.”
• Undocumented immigrants are not a burden on the Healthcare System.
Federal, state
and local governments spend
approximately
1.1 billion dollars annually on
healthcare costs
for undocumented immigrants, aged 1864, or approximately $11 in
taxes for each
U.S.
household. This compares
to 88 billion dollars spent on all
health care for
non-elderly
adults in the
U.S. in 2000. Foreign born
(Source: The Rand
Corporation, “RAND
Study Shows Relatively Little Public
Money Spent Providing Healthcare to Undocumented Immigrants,” November
14, 2006, Dana P.
Goldman, James P.
Smith and Neeraj
Sood, “Immigrants
and the Cost of Medical Care,” Health Affairs 25, no. 6 (2006):
1700-1711)
6
SECTION 2
Volunteer
Summary
1. Provide water at stations
along the border.
2. Reach out to laborers at
Home Depot stores and
build relationships.
3. Help raise money to support
the activities of the Border
Angels.
4. Spread the word to the
community about Border
Angels.
5. Make a difference!
Help make a difference with the Border Angels.
Volunteer for Border Angels and Help Save and
Improve Lives
Volunteers are the soul and life blood of Border
Angels. Since Enrique Morones founded
this non-profit in 1986 we have had over 1,000
volunteers. It was his mission to have a
team of strong and caring individuals to save
7
lives on the United States/Mexico border
and raise awareness in the community.
• Volunteers periodically travel to border areas to maintain water stations.
• Volunteers provide outreach to migrants
that live in Canyons in North County
with food, water
and used clothing.
Our volunteers have a range
of skills and talents. We need
people to perform all of the duties described above, if you
are interested in volunteering,
please fill out the volunteer application form and email or
mail it, once received and reviewed we will contact you to
schedule an orientation meeting.
• Home Depot Day
Laborers, we originally created this
project by “adopting” stores
and going there to
build relationships, show support, and donate
water.
For questions contact Volunteer Coordinator at:
In addition, volunteers
also participate in Community Events, events
at Universities, Colleges, Fundraisers and
Special Projects.
Dulce Aguirre
Border Angels P.O.BOX 86598 San Diego, California 92138
Unites States of America
Phone: (619) 269-7865
• Volunteers are needed to represent Border Angels at these
events and assist in Booth set up, passing out flyers and educating the public about Border Angels.
[email protected]
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to working with
you!
• Volunteers also assist with picking up used clothes and water
when donated.
• Assist in putting together lunches for our outreach.
• If volunteer has a special skill you may be asked to assist in
that area.
8
SECTION 3
People Behind Border Angels
Summary
1. Enrique Morones, Founder
and Executive Dirrector.
2. Dulce Aguirre, Outreach
Coordinator.
3. Sara Gurling, Board
President.
4. Octavio Aguilar
5. Richard Griswold
6. Dave Rivas
7. Breezy Salmonsen
8. Edward Orendain
Border Angels consists of people who want to help others.
Enrique Morones: Founder and Executive Director
Mr. Morones has served as the President of the
San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of the San Diego Padres
(which he left in order to commit full time to Border Angels and social justice work), and Founder
9
of the House of Mexico in San Diego’s Balboa
Park. In 2009 Mexico’s Human Rights Commission presented Enrique with its highest award,
Mexico’s National Human Rights Award. Primary Affiliation: Border Angels, House of Mexico, Friends of Friendship Park
Dulce Aguirre: Outreach Coordinator
right-to-work states in the south. She was a Labor Representative
with the largest organization of unionized nurses in the country:
National Nurses United, AFL-CIO for the last seven years. Her areas of focus included union contract enforcement, representation,
collective bargaining, and local, state, national, and global-political,
legislative and human rights campaigns.
Ms.Aguirre initially got involved with Border Angels through her
work as a youth program coordinator. She now loves to dedicate
her time on improving the community and has work with different
non-profit organizations in San Diego. She is currently being a student, mentor, volunteer and outreach coordinator with Border Angels
She holds bachelor and master level degrees in human services. She is a member of the American Federation of Teachers and
teaches Labor Studies at San Diego City College. Sara Gurling- Board President
Sara Gurling, a is a worker rights advocate and union organizer
by training. She was a leader, organizer and Deputy Political Director with the United Domestic Workers of America for about a
decade. She is a weekly columnist for El Latino News. Her column titled:
La Vida En El Trabajo is about worklife and class issues. In 2014
she became the Director of Organizing with the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties and was nominated for the San Diego UT Latino Champions Award.
She received extensive guidance and mentoring by Fahari Jeffers,
Esq., who co-founded the United Domestic Workers labor union
with the help of Cesar E. Chavez. Sara Gurling left the Domestic
Workers Union in 2005.
Octavio Aguilar
Born in an ejido near Mexicali, Baja California, where his family
made a living farming a small plot of land. When Octavio was ten,
his parents moved the family to Calexico, California, where they
became farm workers and, among other things, picked fruit and
vegetables around the state to support themselves. Octavio earned
a college scholarship when he graduated from High School and
eventually graduated first from San Diego State University and
then Georgetown University Law Center. After getting his law degree, Octavio worked for California Rural Legal Assistance helping
farm workers and other residents of rural areas with their legal
problems.
She has trained in community and faith-based Alinsky style organizing and community improvement models. She is a community
activist and volunteers with many local organizations and has
been involved in Border Angels activities in California with Marcha Migrante, Holtville Cemetery and day-laborer outreach. Also,
in the southern United States such as Georgia and Florida supporting coalition work to lobby in DC for comprehensive immigration
reform, organizing workers and supporting the Caravan for Peace.
Sara’s worker rights activism has taken her across California and
the country representing primarily health care sector workers in
both private and public employment, including new organizing in
He later worked for about five years for the General Counsel of the
10
Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where he defended the rights
of members of the United Farm Workers union. Subsequently, he
served for almost 23 years as an Administrative Law Judge, reviewing unemployment and disability insurance decisions made by the
Employment Development Department to make sure they were legal and fair.
Breezy Salmonsen
Originally from Beverly, MA, Breezy moved out west to Jackson,
Wyoming after graduating from the University of Vermont. In
Wyoming, she worked for the Teton Literacy Center and directed
their adult education program which provides ESL/Spanish
classes and other resources for immigrants and members of the
community. After 4 years in Wyoming, she traveled to Ecuador to
lead community service trips and to Costa Rica where she worked
at a Center for Sustainable Development. Over the past year,
Breezy has volunteered with the organization No More Deaths/No
Más Muertes <http://www.nomoredeaths.org/> in Tucson, AZ
that is dedicated to ending death and suffering on the US/Mexico
border through civil initiative. Currently, she is a Healthcare Sustainability Supervisor where she strives to increase sustainability
and environmental stewardship in San Diego hospitals. When she
is not advocating for immigration reform or on the border with Enrique, you can find her surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking,
snowboarding and drinking coffee!
He retired in 2005 and since then he has spent his time serving as a
member of the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee and volunteering his time registering voters, helping people
with their applications for citizenship and preparing federal and
state income tax returns for low income and elderly clients. In addition, he also spends time supporting various social and political
causes and serves as the vice-president of the Border Angels board
of directors.
Richard Griswold
A Professor Emeritus at San Diego State University (SDSU) and
served as Chair of the Department of Chicano Studies. Dr. Griswold authors all BA printed material such as brochures and
programs. He is also highly involved in the Teaching Tolerance
program of Border Angels. Primary Affiliation: San Diego State
University, Bi-lingual Educators
Edward Orendain, Esq.
Mr. Orendain has been active with the Border Angels for many
years. He has been a member of the Border Angels board of directors for the past two years, and was the founding attorney for the
Border Angels free immigration clinic.
Dave Rivas
A Professional Actor, Voice Over Artist, Comic that has performed
on camera, on mic and on stages all over beautiful San Diego, California from The Comedy Store in La Jolla to The San Diego REPertory Theatre in Downtown San Diego, to The Old Globe Theatre in
Balboa Park.
Graduate of Marian Catholic High School in San Diego, California
Bachelor of Arts from San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Juris Doctor from University of San Diego, San Diego, California
11
Partner, Aguirre Law Group with offices in San Diego, California,
Denver, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona
Founder, Law Office of Edward Orendain
Practice emphasizing immigration law including investor, entrepreneurial, and professional visas, family- based immigration, citizenship and naturalization and removal defense.
Admitted to practice in the Federal Southern District of California
Admitted to practice in the Federal Central District of California
Admitted to practice in the Federal Northern District of California
Admitted to practice in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Member of the Latino Advisory Board for the San Diego Union
Tribune
12
SECTION 4
Support Border Angels
Summary
1. Make a donation.
2. Buy “The Power of One”
book
3. Buy a Border Angels T-shirt.
Borders Angels needs your help.
Please Take A Moment To Donate To Our Worthy
Cause
You can mail a check or money order to mailing
address:
13
BORDER ANGELS
PO BOX 86598
SAN DIEGO CA 92138
You may make an online donation. All donations
are tax deductible.
The Power of One: The Story of the Border Angels.
Buy a Border Angels T-Shirt
In the American Southwest and its borderlands, no other social justice advocate has made a greater impact on the lives of undocumented workers than Enrique Morones. In THE POWER OF ONE,
Morones tells his own story (with noted Chicano historian Richard
Griswold del Castillo) and the result is a book that captures the singular memoir of someone who took the chance to make a difference in the lives of people in Mexico, in the United States, and
most importantly,
along the
U.S./Mexico border, la frontera.
To receive a current Border Angels Shirt you can order online or
send a check of $25.00 or money order (shipping is included) payable to:
Border Angels
P.O. Box 86598 San Diego, CA 92138
Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery.Shirts may change in
color and design depending on activities and availability.
Most importantly is that you are helping us continue our mission.
"
14
CHAPTER 2
Our Impact
15
SECTION 1
Detained in the Desert
Summary
1. Playwright Josefina López
visits graves with the Border
Angels.
2. Experience inspires Josefina
to write a play “Detained in
the Desert.”
3. “Detained in the Desert”
appears as a stage play and
a film.
4. Drama puts a human
emotion on an abstract
issue.
Providing immigrants with assistance.
Playwright Josefina López joined the caravan
sponsored by Border Angels, a nonprofit group
whose mission is “supporting humanity.” Volunteers head to the scorching Arizona desert to
check out a path immigrants take to get to the
United States from Mexico. Because temperatures in summer months can often surpass 120
16
degrees, volunteers tirelessly put out jugs of water at various stations to help migrants crossing
the Arizona desert stay alive.
López fell in step with Enrique Morones, founder
of Border Angels. In addition to water, volunteers carry homemade crosses. On them are
painted the words, No Olvidados, ensuring that
those who died on their trek would not be forgotten. The group
stopped in the cemetery in Holtville, Ariz., nothing more than a
dusty open dirt field, where there were more than 600 graves. The
bodies were unknown, unnamed, forgotten. A simple brick served
as a headstone to identify each John or Jane Doe. Most, López believed, were immigrants.
She broke down, unable to bear the thought that even in death, people were dehumanized and vilified, used as scape-goats. The experience changed her life and perspective.
“I don’t know what God you believe in that you can think that it’s
okay for people to die in the desert. The Sun doesn’t discriminate.
Whether you’re black, white or any color – you’re a human being
suffering because of laws, a human being dying in the desert.”
In addition, when SB 1070 was passed in Arizona, López was
there. A severe anti-immigration law, critics say that it allows law
enforcement to racially profile people they “suspect” are illegal immigrants. The problem is that many American Latino/as also are
brown and have been taken into custody, stripped of human and
civil rights, says López. She knew that Morones had debated Arizona Sheriff Arpaio and other anti-immigrant activists, to shatter
myths about immigrants with his humanitarian work.
New revelations kept bombarding López. Since Operation Gatekeeper was implemented in 1994, doubling personnel, surveillance, motion detectors and extended walls, especially around the
San Diego area, immigrants have continued coming, taking the
more treacherous routes through horrible desert conditions, often
walking for days. “More than 10,000 people have died in the desert,” says López.
Every time Morones and his group come, López learned, they
place crosses on as many of the makeshift headstones as possible.
Later, López also saw photos of decomposed bodies and broken
bones lying in the desert and was haunted by the images. It was
then that emotion overcame her.
She was also inspired by studies that were done on hate crimes
and the fact that there was so much hate talk on radio and television from 2006 to 2010 that promoted hate crimes against Latinos.
López got busy.
17
Unable to take part in the protest against SB-1070, she vowed to
protest the way she knew best. She channeled her pain and fury to
produce the play “Detained in the Desert,” which was also made
into a film.
López, a playwright most known for her original play, Real
Women Have Curves, has written more than 100 plays and films.
She writes controversy. She writes critical thinking pieces. She
writes to give a voice to the underdog. The immigrants unjustly
condemned deserved a voice, she says.
It was her response to the anti-immigrant atmosphere in Arizona
and the rise in violence against Latinos fueled by extremist media.
“I wrote it to protest
SB-1070 and to help
spread the word about
the work of Border Angels,” says López.
“Detained in the Desert” is about a deep profound connection of
two people on opposite sides of the immigration issue that come
together through some
supernatural force,”
López explains.
The process spoke to
her soul, as well. Born
in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in 1969, López was
five years old when she
and her family immigrated to the United
States and settled in
East Los Angeles. She
remained undocumented for 13 years before she received amnesty in 1987 and eventually became a U.S. citizen in 1995.
According to López’s
press release, Detained
in the Desert parallels
the lives of Sandi Sánchez, a secondgeneration darkskinned Latina, and
Lou Becker, an inflammatory talk show radio host. An Arizona
cop racially profiles
Sandi, who refuses to show her identification in protest, which
sends her to immi- grant detention. Simultaneously, three siblings
who have just suffered the loss of their brother due to a hate crime
influenced by Lou's racist radio talk show, kidnap him in hopes of
seeking
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that I’m extremely empathic, but there are people who lack empathy for others and they
just can’t put themselves in others’ shoes. I don’t understand it, but
I had to try.”
18
justice. While Sandi is being transferred to another immigrant detention center, her I.C.E. bus crashes in the desert where she is
stranded. Lou is freed by one of his supposedly remorseful kidnappers and meets Sandi in the desert heat. They help each other survive, and come to understand the severity of the plight of the immigrants through a gruesome discovery.
The play was produced at various colleges such as University of
California- Riverside and at the Guadalupe Cultural Center in San
Antonio in 2010-2011. In 2013, it found its way to San Diego. The
ripple effect of its power would be felt long after stage doors
opened.
Teatro Máscara Mágica Brings Detained in the Desert to Life
In 2013, the decades-old Teatro Máscara Mágica (TMM), a San
Diego-based theater touted as “a theater company of the people”
was petitioning for a residency opportunity at the La Jolla Playhouse, located at UC -San Diego. The theater produced multicultural stories to include voices not traditionally represented in mainstream theater.
They were granted the residency for 2013-2014. Its debut production was Detained in the Desert.
The union of playwright, theater, actor and Border Angels came together to produce something magical, that went far beyond the
pages of López’s script. It affected the key players involved on a
higher level, almost like a calling.
“We were a little theater company and it was a big step for us,” explains Dave Rivas, who is on the TMM board of directors.
For eight months the Teatro Máscara Mágica petitioned for the residency. It was important to have a debut play that would speak to
the people, have an impact and stay true to the mission.
Written in a genre called “cineatro,” it brought in dramatic elements of framing and editing in parallel stories – like vignettes –
interweaving throughout the play. It also had touches of magical
realism, well known in Chicano theatre, says Rivas.
“When we mentioned that we wanted to produce Josefina’s play,
the artistic board became very interested,” says Rivas.
Although he knew Enrique Morones and was familiar with Border
Angels, Rivas was cast to play him in the play (Enrique Martínez)
19
and wanted to learn more about the man and his mis- sion to get
into character. Morones invited him to a day out to the desert. That
day, Rivas filmed his adventure calling it “Explained in the Desert.” This time, not one cross remained in sight. The group
searched—and found them tossed in a nearby field, covered by
trash and plywood.
The questions brought him to deeper purpose as an actor. TMM
had always produced works with more than entertainment value.
Plays like this offer a turning point, he says, and a chance to enlighten.
“When an actor is given an opportunity like this, when he
can see that what he’s doing
can be profound, it becomes
more than entertaining, applause and audience. When
they see how their performance affects people on a personal level that is a huge statement not only to your talent,
but to your humanity.”
The vision was chilling, says
Rivas. The group prayed at the
unmarked graves, for the hundreds of lost souls, refusing to
let them die without some
form of dignity.
“That day changed my life
and my whole way of thinking,” says Rivas. “There are
these people who are willing
to never, ever see their family
again and risk dying in order
to get here, work and send
home a couple of bucks a
month. They are the day workers in front of a Home Depot,
there early, dressed and ready,
hopeful for work. While on
the corner across the street a
poor white man stands with a sign asking for money. What does
that say about us culturally? About our values? Our humanity?”
It was no longer about getting
into character, says Rivas.
Audience reaction is what mattered.
“People came up to us after
each show, telling us of their
personal stories. They said
things like ‘I had an uncle
who came across. We never heard from him again.’”
Changing Perspectives in a Ripple Effect
Proceeds from many of the shows benefitted Border Angels as
López had wished from the beginning. The play is now available
20
der Angels, for Josefina, for Teatro Máscara Májica and for the audience. It got people thinking and talk- ing on an issue that matters.”
López continues to be optimistic and hopeful with the power of
the pen at her finger- tips. “What I want people to take away is not
to be angry, to know what it’s like to be compassionate. My goal
was to forge characters to feel our pain so that we can get back to
our humanity. I’d like to think I did that.”
for production for interested theater groups, she says. Her energies
are focused in getting the film recognized in various film festivals,
including the San Diego Latino Film Festival in March. “We would
love to get a distributor for the movie but it’s a gamble. It’s quite
controversial and too political. It makes people uncomfortable to
think a white man is being punished for racist perspectives. It’s not
like Crash, the movie. It’s a very different viewpoint, one I’m not
sure America is ready to see.”
In the meantime, the positive ripple effect continues with Detained
in the Desert. Morones will actually appear in the film version. Rivas has just been voted onto the Border Angels’ board of directors.
“Detained in the Desert makes a difference, and it did exactly what
it was meant to do,” explains Rivas. “It was a huge success for Bor21
SECTION 2
Resources
Summary
1. Searching for loved ones.
2. Food.
3. Material assistance.
4. Medical care.
5. Social services.
6. Shelter.
7. English lessons.
8. Legal resources.
Every little bit helps.
Available to undocumented people and their
loved ones in the San Diego and nearby areas:
https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/ind
ex.php
Searching for loved ones or want to let your
loved ones know you are ok?
Further your search by contacting the Red Cross
Hospital:
List yourself at the Red Cross as safe & well or
search registrants:
San Diego / Imperial Counties Chapter 3950 Calle Fortunada
22
San Diego, CA, 92123
Phone: (858) 309-1200
Tel#: (858) 509-2581ext 1207
Contact persons: Pastor Galdino Don Juan
Search and Rescue Service:
1st Special Response Group
San Francisco Bay area, but operates in “virtual” manner throughout California
Tel#: (650) 618-1499
Contact person: David Kovar
Moffett Federal Airfield
Moffett Field, CA 94035-0230
Material Assistance for Migrant Families:
Catholic Charities
349 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel#: (619) 287 9454
Fax#: (619) 234-2272
Find Food Near You:
Medical Care:
San Diego Food Bank
Search:http://feedingamericasd.org/need-help/
Food bank
The Flying Samaritans
Fallbrook, CA
Tel#: (760) 940-1028
Transportation provided from pick-up points in San Diego County.
2258 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92102
La Maestra Family Clinic
(619) 232-5181
4185 Fairmont Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105
Tel#: (619) 280-1105; 285-8134
Sherman Heights Community Center
Migrant Workers Lunch Program:
San Diego County Medical Society Alliance
3130 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
Tel#: (619) 298-4782
This organization helps immigrants to navigate the health care system in San Diego County.
Solana Beach Presbyterian Church
Lomas Santa Fe & Stevens Blvd.
Solana Beach, CA 92075
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Social Services:
626-569-5491 US
Interfaith Community Services
550 West Washington Ave., Suite B
Escondido, CA 92025
Tel#: (760) 489-6380, ext. 221
Fax#: (760) 740-0837
664-504-7592 Mex
[email protected]
Community Housing Works
4305 University Ave., Suite 550
San Diego, CA 92105
Tel.#: (619) 282-6647, ext. 313
Fax: (619) 640-7119
This large NGO provides housing assistance to low-income immigrants and refugees in North San Diego County and in central San
Diego; develops new housing projects, provides rental housing,
and makes mortgage loans.
Casa Familiar
Tel#: (619) 428-1115
Fax#: (619) 428-2802
Survivors of Torture, International
P.O. Box 151240
San Diego, CA 92175-1240
Tel#: (619) 278-2400
Fax#: (619) 294-9405
Las Casitas: Earth Shelter and Solar Power Teaching Initiative
Tel#: (760) 212-0044.
Trains homeless migrant farm worker men to serve as future trainers in earth shelter construction methods. Provides farm workers
with small solar power kits to enable them to have access to lights,
television and cell phone recharging in the camps. Also organizes
self-help shelter building projects by migrant farm workers
(see www.calearth.org for information on the construction technique).
Find Migrant-Safe Shelter:
Casa del Migrante en Tijuana, A.C. (Centro Scalabrini)
Calle Galileo 239, Col. Postal
Tijuana, B.C. 22350
Address in San Diego:
P.O. Box 430387
San Diego, CA 92143
Tel#: (011-526) 646-825-180
Fax#: 682-6358
Bunker:
Legal Paperwork & Various Form assistance for Spanish-Speaking
immigrants
Calle 3cera #7592
Zona Centro Baja Ca
Latino Integration
701-B Seagaze Drive
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Oceanside, CA
Tel#: (760) 721-1723 – Direct line (760) 500-9922
A non-profit organization that helps Spanish-speaking immigrants
to navigate many kinds of legal paperwork required by public
agencies and private businesses.
2-1-1 San Diego provides information and connects people that require resources concerning community services and health. They
also offer disaster information 24 hours 7 days a week with confidential phone services, serving the entire county population.
2-1-1 San Diego proveeinformación y conecta a las personas querequierenrecursossobreservicios de la comunidad y de salud. Igualmenteofreceninformaciónsobredesastreslas 24 horas los 7 días de la
semana con unserviciotelefónicoconfidencial, sirviendo a la poblaciónentera del condado.
Centro de Protección Legal
2859 El Cajon Blvd., Ste. 1-C
San Diego, CA92104
Tel#: (619) 584-8424
Provides assistance to immigrants in filling out forms of various
types.
Attorney Information
Eduardo Orendain
Tel:(619)994-8143
[email protected]
Free English Lessons:
Alex Amar Kannan, Esq.
401 West A Street, Ste 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: (619)746-8879
[email protected]
Sherman Heights Community Center
2258 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 232-5181
Mon & Wed – 6 pm -7:30 pm – Teacher: Gina Gapp
Danielle Rosche
2221 Camino Del Rio S., Ste. 201
San Diego, CA 92108
(619)299-9600
Fax: (619)923-3277
[email protected]
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church:
1770 KEARNEY AVE , SAN DIEGO CA 92113
619-233-3838
FAX 619-233-3252
Robert Ferretti
1010 Second Ave, Ste. 1750
San Diego, CA 92101
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Tel: (619)573-6438
Cel:(619)370-4817
Fax:(619)685-5344
[email protected]
Karla Navarrete
Abogada del Pueblo
[email protected]
-Luna & Associates
2810 Camino Del Rio South Ste. 116
San Diego, CA 92108
Tel:(619)702-6330
Fax:(619)546-9910
[email protected]
www.luna-law.com
Carlos M. Martínez, Esq.
3344 Camino Del Rio North, Ste. 103
San Diego, CA 92108
Tel:(619)284-8811
Fax:(619)284-8822
[email protected]
Michelle Stavros
619-354-4484
[email protected]
www.stavroslegal.com
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