PBI-Mexico and PBI-Spain visit Saltillo Migrant Shelter

The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project accompanies the Saltillo Migrant Shelter.

On October 1, PBI-Mexico posted, “Our visit is part of the concern for the different security incidents that have suffered in recent months for their legitimate work in defense of the rights of migrants in the state of Coahuila.”

And the Saltillo Migrant Shelter has tweeted, “We appreciate the visit of our companions of PBI-Mexico and PBI-Estado Español in the framework of the latest aggressions. Their presence and support strengthens our security and continues to open channels for dialogue and peace building.”

The Saltillo Migrant Shelter is situated in the state of Coahuila which shares a 512-kilometre border with Texas.

PBI-Mexico has noted, “The Saltillo Migrant Shelter offers daily humanitarian assistance — including clothes, medicines, food, rest, and medical and psychological care — to hundreds of migrants crossing Mexico to reach the United States.”

It adds, “[The shelter] also defends migrants’ rights through the documentation of cases of kidnapping, extortion, abuses and violations that they suffer during their journey through Mexico.”

Because of this migrant justice work, the staff and volunteers at the shelter have suffered harassment, surveillance and threats.

In terms of recent incidents:

On July 20, PBI-Mexico expressed its “concern about the visit this morning of the federal police to the Casa Del Migrante de Saltillo, for possible intervention and immigration verification at the hostel.”

On July 25, PBI-Mexico stated, “We express our concern about the recent acts of harassment [the Saltillo Migrant Shelter] has suffered.”

And on July 31, Coahuila state police officers killed Marco Tulio Perdomo Guzmán, a 29-year-old migrant from Honduras who was with his 8-year-old daughter.

The harassment of the Saltillo Migrant Shelter is happening in the context of the further militarization of the US-Mexico border.

Reuters has reported, “Mexico is trying to curb a surge of migrants from third countries crossing its territory in order to reach the United States, under the threat of tariffs on its exports by U.S. President Donald Trump.”

You can find out more about the work of the Saltillo Migrant Shelter via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their website.