Dear Friends of the Kino Border Initiative: I write to express to you all my profound gratitude for your wonderful support of the Kino Border Initiative, especially in the midst of these very challenging times. I would also like to update you on what is happening at the KBI in light of the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the steps we are taking to respond, and how you can support us in this effort. At the moment, there are two confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the State of Sonora. They are in … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2020
IKF denuncia retornos expeditos a México
La Iniciativa Kino para la Frontera informa su desacuerdo con la declaración de la Administración de Trump, sobre enviar a migrantes y solicitantes de asilo a México sin el debido proceso. Es nuestra responsabilidad colectiva promover y proteger la seguridad y la salud de todas personas en estos momentos sin precedentes. Sin embargo, cerrar el acceso al asilo de las personas que están llegando a los Estados Unidos y regresarlos rápidamente a México—cuyos oficiales no recibieron aviso del … [Read more...]
KBI Denounces Expedited Returns to Mexico
The Kino Border Initiative denounces the Trump administration’s announcement that it will send asylum-seekers and people in migration to Mexico without any due process. It is our collective responsibility to promote and protect all people’s safety and health in these unprecedented times. However, ceasing access to asylum for those arriving at ports of entry and sending all migrants quickly back to Mexico—whose officials were not informed of the plan—does not honor the interests of public … [Read more...]
The Excessive Use of Force by Border Patrol
In February, the Supreme Court ruled that the family of a young boy who had been killed in Ciudad Juárez by a Border Patrol agent stationed in El Paso could not file for damages or lawsuits. This ruling set a deeply troubling and even dangerous precedent for future instances of violence directed at people in Mexican border towns and the likelihood of greater impunity for agents who commit such acts. Furthermore, it underscores a culture of cruelty and violence toward immigrants by Border Patrol … [Read more...]
Barbara’s Story: The Weight of Prolonged Detention
Barbara, 28, and her husband Wilson, 29, are Cuban asylum-seekers who have been detained for over six months in various locations in Arizona. They fled conditions that were a threat to their lives and well-being in Cuba, and since arriving to Arizona have been confronted by constant challenges in detention facilities. Though they did not spend much time in Border Patrol custody, what they experience in Eloy and La Palma offers a glimpse into the many indignities faced by immigrants outside of … [Read more...]