Advocates plan border-wide caravan for migrant rights

Groups setting off to talk to residents of border towns about their legal rights, speak up against Operation Lone Star

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A coalition of migrant advocacy organizations is planning to drive the length of Texas to call for more humane border policies.

The Border Network for Human Rights is leading eight other grassroots groups on a caravan set to leave El Paso on May 1 and arrive in Brownsville, Texas, on May 17.

The goal of the Frontera Texas organizing caravan is to “strengthen the capacity of border residents and immigrant families to promote and defend human and civil rights,” BNHR said in a statement Friday.

The caravan comes in response to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s immigration enforcement initiatives, such as Operation Lone Star, recent stepped-up inspections of trucks carrying legitimate trade goods at the border, and jailing migrants on state trespassing charges. Operation Lone Star, which consists of the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, has particularly come under scrutiny by civil rights groups.

 “This politically motivated strategy led by Gov. Abbott is not only illegal and unconstitutional, but also has already impacted the rights of immigrants and refugees, and deteriorated the quality of life of border communities in Texas.,” BNHR said.

Groups scheduled to join the caravan include Arise Adelante, Border Workers United, Casa del Proyecto Libertad, La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), and Valley Movement of Human Rights, among others.

Details about the activities of caravan members at each stop were to be announced Saturday at BNHR headquarters, 2115 N. Piedras St. in El Paso.