Kino Border Initiative (KBI) since 2008 has united six

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

organizations in an effort to be a humanizing presence and foster bi-national solidarity on the issue of migration on the U.S.–Mexico border through direct assistance and accompaniment, education, research, and advocacy.

History

In 2008 and 2009 in

Nogales, Arizona Nogales (; English: or ) is a city in and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The population was 20,837 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and estimated 20,103 in 2019. Nogales forms part of the larger Tucson–Nogales L ...

, and

Nogales, Sonora Heroica Nogales (), more commonly known as Nogales, is a city and the county seat of the Municipality of Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora. It is located in the north of the state across the U.S.-Mexico border, and is abutted on its north ...

, Mexico, this work was begun by six organizations: the California Province of the

Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...

Jesuit Refugee Service The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, that they may heal, learn, and determine their own future. Fou ...

/USA, the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist, the Mexican Province of the Society of Jesus, the

Diocese of Tucson The Diocese of Tucson ( – ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory – or diocese – of the Roman Catholic Church in southern Arizona in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdio ...

, and the

Archdiocese of Hermosillo The Archdiocese of Hermosillo () is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese located in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Its area is 90,959 sq. miles, and its population (2004) 1,067,051. The bishop resides at Hermosillo. The Archdiocese of Hermosillo is a Metr ...

. Its purpose is to break down barriers to humane, just, and workable migration, affirming human dignity and solidarity. KBI gives direct assistance and accompanies migrants, educates communities on both sides of the border, and collaborates with networks of research and advocacy to transform policy at all levels of government. It sees its work in continuity with the historic record of the US in welcoming immigrants, and in support of international standards for the treatment of refugees.

References

External links

* {{Coord, 31, 19, 57.74, N, 110, 56, 32.32, W, display=title Jesuit development centres Organizations established in 2008 Poverty-related organizations Non-profit organizations based in the United States Social welfare charities based in the United States Development studies Cultural promotion organizations Christian refugee aid organizations Refugee aid organizations in the United States Society of Jesus in Arizona