U.S.-Mexico Border Crisis

Since 2016, CORE has been providing essential humanitarian support to communities in need along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Why is humanitarian support needed along the U.S.-Mexico border?

Economic turmoil, violence, political unrest, and climate change – particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean – have resulted in the ongoing arrival of people seeking safety and opportunity along the U.S.-Mexico border. These groups include families and unaccompanied children who need immediate and critical humanitarian support including warm meals, temporary shelter and hygiene supplies. Recent surges in the number of migrants and asylum seekers have overwhelmed available service providers along the border. As global crises continue, it is expected that there will continue to be an influx of migrants and asylum seekers in need of assistance.

Emergency Relief | 2021

What created the border crisis in Del Rio, Texas, in 2021?

In September 2021, as many as 14,000 migrants, the majority of them Haitian natives, were living in squalid conditions in a makeshift camp beneath the Del Rio International Bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border in Del Rio, Texas. Many of the migrants’ journeys had begun years earlier as they searched for a better life to flee unstable conditions in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

In 2021, the situation in Haiti was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent destabilizing events in the summer, including the assassination of the nation’s president, which soon was followed a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the South.

What is CORE doing to support humanitarian needs along the U.S.–Mexico border?

CORE has been working with local partners and government authorities to meet the surge demand of families, unaccompanied children and individuals seeking safety and humanitarian support along the U.S.-Mexico border. We’ve supported Haitians, Central and South Americans, and others in search of refuge beyond the borders of their home countries, many of whom are escaping violence, political and social instability, and lack of economic opportunity. Our teams have primarily delivered warm meals, hygiene supplies and cash assistance to ensure families are able to acquire the items they need as they’re stuck in limbo. We will continue to work with local partners to identify gaps and expand upon our outreach as needed.

Along the border in Del Rio, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, and Tijuana, CORE has supported over 2,750 individuals to date.

2,750

people received humanitarian assistance

5,050

warm meals provided

2,600

hygiene items delivered

$30,000

worth of cash aid distributed

Some of CORE’s relief efforts:

> In 2016, CORE facilitated translations and connected migrants at Catholic Charities and El Cajon National Armory sites in Southern California/Tijuana with healthcare, transportation, and other basic resources.

> In September 2021, CORE partnered with the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition and Mission: Border Hope Processing Center in Del Rio, Texas, to provide essential relief to 1,800 Haitian migrants. Together, we worked to improve living conditions and deliver meals and hygiene supplies to help protect them from COVID-19.

> In 2023, CORE provided Visa gift cards to migrant families, supporting nearly 700 individuals in El Paso and Juarez. This relief allowed families and individuals to meet their most urgent needs, such as food, cell phone costs, and transportation.

> In March 2023, CORE, with partner Abara, provided 3,250 emergency meals following a deadly fire at a migrant detention center in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez.

> In May 2023, CORE and Abara assisted with food, shelter, and staffing support to over 20 shelters in the El Paso/Juarez area serving 7,000 migrants monthly.

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