Border Angels Weekly Newsletter
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We are both overwhelmed and incredibly grateful to all of the fundraisers, birthday donations, and overall organizing that all of YOU, our amazing supporters, have been doing.
From selling pencils, cheesecakes, t-shirts, hosting virtual yoga, or all of the beautiful artists finding a way to use your talents, voices, and birthdays to give to our cause! We are so touched and want all of you to know that we see you, and we appreciate you for ensuring our work is able to continue.
Your donation, no matter the amount, is the reason for someone’s meal, someone accessing life-saving water, and someone finally stepping out of a horrible detention center. This pandemic has brought upon so much uncertainty, and the response from our followers has inspired us to continue to fight harder than ever before.
Since our humble beginning, we have always adapted to change, and we will continue spreading a culture of love and acceptance. We refuse to remain silent during such a crucial time.
Let's continue speaking out against injustices and continue to providing all the help and support that we can.
Thank you!
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Familias Reunidas Bond Program
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We have some GOOD news! Meet our latest Families Reunidas Bond Recipient: Atzel.
He is a Honduran asylum seeker who spent months inside the horrible Adelanto ICE Detention Center. Despite public outcry, staff members at this prison are STILL disinfecting the facility by spraying a hazardous chemical called HDQ Neutral. This chemical has been reported to cause bloody noses, burning eyes, coughing fits, nausea, and skin rashes.
Atzel witnessed guards in full PPE gear spraying this chemical on door handles, railings and tables constantly throughout the day. Not only that, several times an hour a guard would walk by spraying this toxic chemical, even spraying their beds. Atzel also shared about the medical neglect, the rotten food, the undercooked meals, the lack of sanitation, the smells, and a lockdown where no meals were served for three days.
Systemic abuses like these happen when we remain silent, and when we allow our migrant community to be dehumanized through language and racist policies. His stories are truly the stuff of nightmares, yet still he remains a kind and hopeful individual. Atzel has now been reunited with his cousin and sponsor, and hopefully can begin to heal from the heartbreaking experiences this country’s laws have subjected him to.
Let this story serve as a reminder of all the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and community members waiting in such conditions in detention, simply for seeking a place or a part in this country. Atzel represents so many others being subject to these inhumane policies and we must not forget the urgency of getting everyone we can out of the Otay Mesa Detention Center.
This pandemic continues to be unforgiving, and we will not allow any more lives lost. Again, we thank you for your support and ask you to continue to help us make sure our folks are #FreeAndAlive.
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We are so grateful to Freedom for Immigrants for once more supporting our Familias Reunidas Bond Program, and assisting us in bonding out another individual, Abadou. He is an asylum seeker from Mauritania who was detained at the Adelanto ICE Detention center for 7 months. He is now able to reunite with his uncle in New York.
The individuals we help, have been through so much, and upon arrival to the US, they are subjected to even further suffering. We have shared stories in the past of their hardships, but we want to stress that their migration journey doesn’t begin when they arrive at our southern border. Some migrants have traveled through various countries, have passed through many borders, and some have been detained in places like Mexico.
We have supported migrants whom have traveled through as many as 13 countries, from Cameroon to Brazil and to our southern border. Our country boasts about freedom, opportunity, and a better life, but yet we mistreat and lock up the individuals that come here seeking that freedom and protection from persecution.
We share these stories because we want to uplift the resilience of our migrant community. They are our inspiration to continue this work and to be a catalyst for change. We criticize this country’s racist and inhumane policies because we want to be proud to call ourselves once more “the land of opportunity,” not just for a select few, but for all of us.
Let these stories serve as a reminder of all the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and community members waiting in such conditions in detention, simply for seeking a place or a part in this country. Abadou represents so many others being subject to these inhumane policies and we must not forget the urgency of getting everyone we can out of the Otay Mesa Detention Center. This pandemic continues to be unforgiving, and we will not allow any more lives lost. Again, we thank you for your support and ask you to continue to help us make sure our folks are #FreeAndAlive.
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July has proven to be the hottest month for conducting Water Drops, with temperatures reaching up to 120 degrees. Mid-late July has proven in the last few years as the hottest Water Drop of the year. Both groups that went out Saturday did such an amazing job dealing with the heat.
It’s tricky to manage these summer drops. We have to be precise where we drop. Know ahead of time where the spots will be. The terrain, heat and sun exposure can bring trouble if we go off cue. Supplies need to reach these locations, but we have to make sure we are on point, otherwise we can also put ourselves in danger.
That is why we are only taking experienced Water Drop volunteers right now. Thank you all for your patience. As soon as we can safely take new volunteers we will.
For the meanwhile, sharing posts and donations allow us to continue our work, and be efficient as possible.
For any questions about Water Drops or our Water Drops during Covid, reach out to Water Drop Program Co-Director James Cordero, [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support!
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Your generous donations continue providing meals, comfort, and safety to our beloved migrant families!
We love to see our shelter directors taking the necessary precautions to safely deliver groceries to their shelters! The need for rent, utilities, bills and food does not stop, and although Covid continues to give us speed bumps along the way, we will not stop.
Thank you so much for your continued support, we cannot do any of this without you.
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"Gracias Ángeles de la frontera por su donación para nuestro albergue volviendo a la patria, aquí los muchachos comiendo unos deliciosos pancakes con papas y huevos estrellados muchas gracias"
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Check out a quick video that we were happy to receive from the shelter Volviendo a la Patria!
Thank you so much to our supporters and donors for helping provide meals.
Check out the video and their Facebook page by clicking the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=312490339803588
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JULY 29, 2020 1:09 AM
Trump orders DACA to continue for one year
Dreamers may renew their permits for at least one more year
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Thank you to Telemundo 20 local San Diego news for inviting Dulce Garcia to speak on the recent news regarding DACA. Watch her interview as she speaks on what this means for the future of DACA, renewals, and what this 1 year of revision means.
We continue to advocate for our Dreamers, and to speak out against attacking our migrant community. We again refuse to allow our them to become political bargaining chips, and be subject to such uncertainty, with no path to citizenship in sight. They are very much a part of this community and economy, and deserve to be treated as such.
https://www.telemundo20.com/videos/video-noticias/trump-ordena-que-daca-continue-por-un-ano/2041744/?fbclid=IwAR07I0yzvY3Q6rD0_PgmBuKY9dw8nHlaN_mkymyX2IZvMDdhYyM2PF1Wd60
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With our new Green Cards for Kids program, we are so lucky to be able to work with immigration attorney Fabiola Navarro who will be representing these children.
It is crucial that we help these children as they have already suffered enough abuse, neglect and/or abandonment.
With your continued support, we can help pay for the legal representation these children deserve in this critical time of their lives.
Please consider donating! No amount is too small!
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WE NEED YOUR HELP:
Our friends at Refugee Health Alliance are one of the only organizations providing medical care for migrants and asylum seekers in Tijuana.
Health services for asylum-seeking refugees have nearly come to a stop as a result of the Covid-19 travel restrictions. Local Tijuana clinics offering medical services to refugees have closed.
U.S. based clinicians and doctors are no longer able to travel to Tijuana to meet with those who are in dire need of medical and mental health support. While migrants have access to hospitals in Mexico, it is financially difficult and risky to do so. Many migrants are persecuted by gangs who target them outside of the shelters.
How can you help?
You can donate tablets that will allow migrant shelters to directly connect with medical and mental health providers via videoconferencing. YOU can help the 850+ refugees in need in Tijuana.
Mail in your donation today to:
1680 Broadway, Ste. A
Chula Vista, CA 91911
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You can donate to Border Angels when you shop on Amazon.
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible items to Border Angels!
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Tienes la oportunidad de donar a Border Angels cuando compras en Amazon.
Amazon nos donará el 0.5% del precio de compra de artículos elegibles!
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Despite the growing challenges of this pandemic, Border Angels remains determined to protect and support the community we have pledged to serve. Even though we are currently unable to accept physical donations, we are always accepting monetary donations to support:
1. Our Shelter Aid Program❤️: Especially now that we are unable to receive these items, we need your help to provide funds for groceries, hygiene products, utility bills, rent, clothes, etc.!
2. Familias Reunidas Bond Program👨👩👧: Given the severity of this outbreak, we NEED to get as many people out of the Otay Mesa Detention Center as we can. With your help we can post bond for more individuals! (Link in highlights under Bond Program)
3. Water Drop Program💧: Even after having to postpone public water drops, our team is still constantly in the desert scouting and dropping the supplies necessary for survival. Their work never stops because the need never stops.
Thank you for your continued support.🖤🦋
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