Bi-national project cares for vulnerable Mexican deportees
"Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me" (Matthew 25:34-36 NRSV).
Ever wonder what becomes of vulnerable migrants after they have been deported from the United States to Mexico? The reality of deportation is ugly.
All too often, destitute deportees are transported across the U.S.-Mexico border and dumped in communities far from their homes of origin, with no means to travel or support themselves.
For a coalition of Catholic organizations, the proper response to the issue of illegal immigration lies in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And this means demonstrating the love of Christ through a campaign to assist the newly deported survive the harsh transition to life back in Mexico.
Innovative project
"The Kino Border Initiative is a bi-national migrant ministry located in Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico," Sean Carroll, executive director of the project, told ChristianWeek.
The Kino project was launched in the twin cities in January 2009 by six Catholic non-governmental organizations from the U.S. and Mexico, including the Jesuit Refugee Service. They describe the project as an "innovative" campaign that "seeks to serve the Church by providing opportunities for pastoral formation, faith-based social analysis and advocacy for the protection of human rights and the common good."
According to the Jesuit organization, the Kino Border Initiative derives its name from Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit missionary who crossed the international boundary, serving the people of southern Arizona and northern Sonora from 1687 until his death in 1711.
Humanitarian efforts
When undocumented migrants are sent back to Mexico, their situation is often grim. Many cannot even provide the necessities of life for themselves or their families. According to the Jesuit Refugee Service's website, "Many of the migrants we encounter at the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Mexico, find themselves stranded in the border town far away from their homes and families."
It is the mission of the Kino project to meet the humanitarian needs of deportees.
"We staff a small centre in Nogales, Sonora," says Carroll, "where we provide two meals daily to an average of 250 deportees." The Kino center also offers "clothing, pastoral support and information regarding access to Mexican government services," he says.
Among the deportees are particularly vulnerable women and children, says Joanne Welter, the director of social mission for the Diocese of Tucson, which helps to underwrite the Kino Border Initiative.
According to Carroll, the Kino centre at Nogales, Sonora, houses "a small shelter for women and children who have been deported." It can accommodate up to eight people at once. "We offer a safe place where they can bathe, eat, sleep and contact their family members," he says.
Education and research
The Kino Border Initiative seeks to educate the American public about issues of migration and immigration public policy reform. "We host groups of people from high schools, universities and parishes so that they can learn more about the project, the border reality and the question of migration," says Carroll.
Another dimension of the Kino project is the promotion of academic research on U.S.-Mexico migration issues. For example, the Catholic organization hosts visiting scholars interested in immigration policy. "By gathering data from the people we serve," explains Carroll, "we hope to support advocacy efforts for just and humane immigration reform, both in the United States and Mexico."
The lesson of Matthew 25 is being put into action by the organizations that make up the Kino Border Initiative.
"Through our ministry, we strive to offer a comprehensive response to the reality of migration, in a way that fosters solidarity with the least and with all," Carroll says.
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