On Nov. 19, 2011, the Border Angels will hold their 25 anniversary celebration at the San Diego Centro Cultural de la Raza. The event marks a quarter of a century of defending and protecting immigrant rights on the US border and throughout America.
The Border Angels was founded by Enrique Morones in 1986. The organization is best known for providing food, water and clothing stations in remote border areas, such as the Imperial Valley area and mountain areas. This simple act of compassion brought much criticism to the group, criticism which included threats to Morones.
Born in San Diego to Mexican parents, Mr. Morones has met with US President Barak Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon, and international news media, bringing world-wide awareness to the urgent need for immigration reform. On Sept 15, 2009, the eve of Mexican Independence Day, Enrique Morones received Mexico´s highest award, the OTHL, presented to him by the Mexican government. Recently, Morones was a guest speaker at the Front Line Defenders Human Rights Conference in Ireland. He explained to the attendees that since the US initiated Operation Gatekeeper 1994, over 10,000 migrants have lost their lives trying to cross the border into the US. He described the living conditions of these migrants once they reached the US, such as entire families living outdoors and in canyons.
Border Angels has demanded justice for the many immigrants who have been shot or killed in vigilante killings, and border patrol killings.
According to the group’s webpage, in Feb. of 2006, Border Angels organized and led a National March for Migrants, leading 111 cars across the US, from San Diego to Washington DC, and back, visiting 40 cities in 27 days and demanding NO! on HR 4437 and “No more deaths and justice for immigrants!” The group has also been successful in shutting down California’s Vigilante Minutemen.
The work of Border Angels goes on to include education and awareness of migrant issues. This involves fending off the many myths, myths which can provoke discrimination and even hate crimes. It has recently been popular to blame immigration for US economic woes, and many politicians, happy to have a scapegoat, have enacted new anti-immigration laws across the nation. Border Angels has been vocal in questioning the constitutionality of these laws.
The Border Angels group will be holding their 25th anniversary on Sat. Nov. 19, from 7-10 pm at the Centro Cultura de la Raza 2004 Park Blvd. San Diego Ca. 92101. For info www.borderangels.org
