Give the gift of love this Valentine's Day

Paulino Aguilar Gomez,
May He Rest in Peace
Our deepest condolences are with the family of Paulino Aguilar Gomez, the first recipient of the Volviendo a Casa program this year. Paulino’s son, who bears the same name, requested our support for the tragedy of losing his father. Paulino Aguilar Gomez was a hard-working undocumented migrant who lived in the US for over 20 years. Two years ago, he decided to return to Veracruz and reunite with his family and children, but quickly realized he couldn’t find employment, and made the tough decision to return to the US in hopes of helping his family economically. Unfortunately, he passed away on his migration journey in the desert, and he experienced a fulminant infraction caused by hypothermia. He was 62 years old.

Through the Volviendo a Casa program and with the assistance of both Mexican consulate and Paulino’s son and daughter, we were able to pay for funeral expenses and transportation back to Veracruz. This way, his family may say their final goodbyes. Paulino Aguilar Gomez, May he Rest in Peace.

Our hearts are heavy with yet another loss of life. We continue to denounce the many policies at work at our southern border, which dehumanize our migrant siblings, causing entirely preventable deaths. We remain committed to provide humanitarian aid to those crossing in hopes of preventing more deaths.
Donate to Volviendo a Casa ([link removed])
February Water Drop

Thank you to our volunteers for joining our February Water Drop! They helped replenish sites and drop water, hand warmers, socks, and other life-saving supplies for the harsh desert winter and storms.

Our lead Osvaldo and a few of our volunteers stayed behind to help clean up some of the sites of the open air detention centers in Jacumba, on order to help the migrants and refugees still stuck in the encampments.

We are committed to assisting our migrant siblings, as well as ensuring our volunteers do so in the safest way possible.

If you missed our February Volunteer Water Drop, scroll down to our Volunteer Opportunities section to sign up for next month. For more information you can email our coordinator at [email protected].

Te queremos, (you are loved)
Border Angels
Donate to Water Drop ([link removed])
The Caravan of Love

Last month we had seven cars join our Caravan of Love as we made our way to Movimiento Juventud 2000 shelter. This shelter is one that contains the largest number of children in our supported shelter network, which is the reason we selected it to take all of toys from our drive. In total, it is home to over 200 residents of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to that, we delivered food, hygiene products, jackets and more.

We cannot thank our volunteers enough for helping us hand-deliver so many donations to migrant families. We are especially grateful to Nicole and the team at Hustle Piercings for collaborating on a Toy Drive with us, Donna and Sarah who hand knit scarves, blankets and beanies Albana and Lia for their constant presence across our volunteer events, and as always the amazing team from Psicologos Sin Fronteras, B.C. for their guidance and support.

Scroll down below to our "Volunteer Opportunities" section where you can sign up for our March Caravan of Love. For more information email [email protected]
Donate to Caravan of Love ([link removed])
Meet Martin!

We just posted our second bond this year! Martin is a 28-year-old asylum seeker from Mauritania who spent 5 months inside the Imperial Regional Detention Facility. Thanks to your combined efforts, we have now successfully freed 124 individuals from detention prison, reuniting 124 families.

Our Families Reunidas Bond Program aims to help all of those facing family separation through immigration detention. However, through the comparison of cases among colleagues/fellow organizations and through our program we have seen that immigrants of color, particularly black migrants, receive disproportionately higher bonds. We support immigrants from all over the world, but by far we assist largely individuals from African countries. We mark the end of Black History Month with a win, but remain committed to spread awareness of an arbitrary and unjust immigration system for communities of color.

If your loved one is in the Otay Mesa, Adelanto, or Imperial Regional Detention Center and you need assistance paying for their bond, you can fill out an application here. ([link removed])
Donate to Bond Program ([link removed])
Thank you Park Day School!
Last week, we had forty 7th and 8 students come visit Border Angels from Park Day School in Oakland. This group even brought donations in kind for our various programs. We are so impressed at their respect, participation and attentiveness despite their young age. Many of them had never visited the border before, and even expressed their interest in volunteering.

It is so important for us to couple education alongside humanitarian work. We believe this holistic approach can impact our communities and bring about true change, kindness, and compassion to our southern border.

If your school/group/organization would like a presentation or find out what other educational opportunities are available please email our educational programs coordinator at [email protected]. Join our mission of love!
Volunteer Opportunities

Sign-up now for our March Water Drop! This volunteer event will take place Saturday, March 9th. Join us as we drop off water and other life-saving items in the desert.

More details about the event will be provided once you are selected to join. This event is on a first-come, first-serve basis as we limit our events based on the need for the drops. Filling out this form does not guarantee a spot.
We hope to see you there!❤️ 💧

For any questions or more info email [email protected] or call the office at 619-487-0249.
Sign up here ([link removed])

We’re looking for volunteers to join the Caravan of Love on
Saturday, March 23rd. This event requires volunteers to drive and cross over into Tijuana to help deliver necessities and moral support to migrant shelters in need. Help spread the love to migrant families and children.

Requirements to participate:
Passport/SENTRI/Appropriate travel documents
Donations for shelter (list on 2nd and 3rd slide)
Reliable transportation to drive into Tijuana and deliver donations
Signed volunteer waiver.

Volunteer spots are limited and on a first come first served basis. For any questions regarding this event please contact us at [email protected].

We can’t wait to see you!
Sign up here ([link removed])
Schedule a Donation Drop-Off
Due to limited storage space we will be receiving physical donations by appointment only. Appointments are available Monday-Friday from 9AM to 3PM.

Call us or email us to schedule today at 619-487-0240 or [email protected].

Drop off donations at our office located at the Sherman Heights Community Center at 2258 Island Ave. San Diego, CA 92102. We do not accept used clothing donations.
News Spotlight:

The fight to save lives in the treacherous California desert: ‘A broken ankle is a death sentence’
The inhospitable region is also an illegal escape route to the United States, one traveled by thousands of migrants every year: often by night, sometimes with children in their arms. For a growing number of people, the remote, perilous journey is fatal.

On a recent cold January morning, 30-year-old Osvaldo Ruiz scanned this bleak landscape near Ocotillo, a tiny outpost along the border. He was flanked by a team of nearly a dozen volunteer hikers with the San Diego-based non-profit Border Angels. The group carried heavy backpacks brimming with gallons of drinking water, hand warmers, silver emergency blankets, thick socks, knit beanies and canned tuna – critical supplies that, they hoped, would mean one less migrant might succumb to dehydration, starvation or hypothermia.

Read Full Article ([link removed])

San Diego County approves plan for long-term migrant transfer site
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved an advocacy plan Tuesday for the development of a long-term migrant transfer site in San Diego after the San Diego Welcome Migrant Center closed last week. The county had allocated $6 million to operate the center but it closed after running out of funding.
Read Full Article ([link removed])

US hospital treated 441 patients with severe injuries from border wall last year
Doctors at the University of California, San Diego’s health’s trauma center (UCSD) have treated 455 patients with serious injuries sustained while trying to cross the US-Mexico border in 2023, a marked increase from the year before.

Ninety-seven per cent of the injuries, or 441 of them, occurred when people fell off the wall on the US side, said Alexander Tenorio, a resident neurosurgeon at UCSD who treats brain and spinal cord injuries.

Read Full Article ([link removed])
Don't Forget the Merch

We have everything from t-shirts, to totes, to water bottles! All merchandise purchases go towards our programs and life-saving work.

Visit our online shop here ([link removed]) .
Donate Now! ([link removed])

Make a difference and donate today!

Visit our website: www.borderangels.org ([link removed]) ([link removed])

Please make checks payable to:
Border Angels
2258 Island Ave
San Diego, CA 92102

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