In April, volunteers with the group Border Angels began their monthly water-drop hike. They hiked the rugged hills south of the US-Mexico border wall, which divides the city of San Diego from Tijuana. The group, led by Osvaldo Ruiz, carried heavy-duty backpacks filled with essential supplies such as water, Gatorade, hand warmers, emergency blankets, and canned food. Their mission is clear: to provide aid to migrants who risk their lives crossing the harsh terrain.
Border Angels, a local non-profit organization, has faced increasing hostility since Donald Trump’s inauguration, receiving a steady stream of nasty messages and emails from the public. Ruiz expressed concern about the growing animosity towards their work, stating, “There has been a lot more open hate around the work that we do.” This sentiment is emblematic of a more pervasive culture of surveillance and fear that blankets the borderlands.
As Ruiz and his fellow travelers trekked across the wild terrain, they ran into a federal agent who confronted them in the middle of their trip. The agent’s flip response to their motives sure did make us blink. I thought you guys were “customers,” joked the Border Patrol agent, showcasing the myths that run rampant among those who help migrants. Another agent remarked, “Daddy Trump has been doing a good job so it’s been slow,” indicating a shift in border control dynamics.
The volunteers’ efforts are not without peril. Ruiz and a fellow team member found the handcuffs in a remote area while on a hiking patrol. This jaw-dropping discovery piqued their interest to wonders of what could have occurred in that area. What most struck them were the personal items, like an inhaler and a bottle of baby powder. Each object narrated a lifetime of hopelessness and endurance.
With Belen Hernandez, a law clerk with the New Orleans–based immigration law firm MBR Law Group. She had to drive an hour and a half from Orange County to even be there. She says she frequently feels overwhelmed in her ability to help the migrants access the complicated and mature immigration system. “Even though I work in immigration, I can’t necessarily give everyone a green card or some type of status,” she explained. Hernandez articulated her motivation for volunteering: “Here, you made it this far. Let me get you a little further by giving you food and water.”
Border Angels is working to reduce some of the dangers migrants encounter in this harsh landscape. According to Melissa Shepard, an advocate for migrant rights, “People are fleeing really desperate situations, and I think if the opportunity presents itself, they’re willing to take that risk.” The organization’s work has never been more important. Without the assistance and support of non-profits like Border Angels, countless migrants may face dire consequences throughout their journey.
The involvement of U.S. Customs and Border Protection further complicates the situation and creates another level of scrutiny to bear on the volunteers’ activities. Now, encounters with U.S. border patrol agents have become a common occurrence on Border Angels members monthly hikes. Though some of these encounters may be relatively benign, many are not, often escalating an already hostile climate across the militarized border.
Ruiz reiterated that Border Angels goes out of its ways to not break the law. They’re not the ones encouraging migrants to cross the border illegally. Their mission, as stated on their website, is strictly humanitarian and involves only providing non-combat-related assistance. “We exist to serve you,” he restated, putting a fine point on the relevance and need for their work in a time of escalating anger.
As anti-immigrant fervor reaches new heights along the US-Mexico borderlands, the contributions of non-profits such as Border Angels carry renewed importance. The challenges they face mirror national attitudes towards immigration and emergency humanitarian assistance. In doing so, Ruiz and Hernandez and other volunteers handily address this challenge. They are intensely committed to their work and to doing good in the lives of those looking for a safe harbor.