Opening Panama's Only Non-Profit Migrant Shelter

In partnership with Quixote Center, the Panama team of the Franciscan Network for Migrants (FNM) is inaugurating the country's only non-profit migrant shelter.  

A record number of migrants are crossing through Panama in the hopes of finding safety in the United States. The Darién gap, a lawless rainforest between Colombia and Panama, is one of the most dangerous parts of their entire journey. Migrants must hike for days through the dense jungle, up and down steep mountains, and across rivers that often flood without warning.  

These natural dangers claim many lives, but there are also organized crime groups that kidnap, attack, and kill migrants. Officially, 36 people died in the Darién in 2022, but the actual number is certainly far higher. Many migrants we speak to recount horrifying tales of encountering dead bodies throughout their journey.  

Call to Action in Haiti Webinar

Interested in speaking out more about Haiti but not sure how? Quixote Center is joining the Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG) in a special meeting on Thursday June 29 at 2pm ET.

We will explore just a few angles for advocacy that you can use to engage with your U.S. members of Congress that can be a part of paving the way for sustainable progress in Haiti. 

Topics to be explored for this session include:

1. Agriculture exports from Haiti 
2. The prospects of the Global Fragility Act implementation
3. Labor rights 
4. The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act

Immigration News: Biden's Asylum Ban is Taking Effect

A new L.A. Times article confirms what we and other immigration advocates have been fearing for months: Biden's new asylum ban rule is turning away huge numbers of asylum seekers at the border. 

The number of single-adult migrants who are able to pass initial screenings at the border has dropped from 83% to 46%. The asylum ban makes anyone ineligible for asylum unless they either 1) passed through another country without seeking asylum there & was denied or 2) failed to use the convoluted CBP One smartphone app to schedule an asylum hearing. 

This data does not include families, but we fear what this new policy mean for vulnerable migrants. Stay tuned for new ways to take action. 

Artist Corner

Moises Salazar

Moises Salazar is a nonbinary Mexican American artist raised in Chicago by immigrant parents. Their artworks act as a visual exploration of Colonial, Mexican, and Catholic histories, alongside LGTBQIA+ narratives. Salazar draws inspiration from fashion and drag culture to use wide array of embellishments, fabrics, and textures combined with traditional Mexican craft techniques. They often depict queer, Latinx youth, as well as the tension that often exists between multiple identities. You can see more of Salazar's work HERE.