Groups Ask Border Patrol to Stand Down

NIPNLG letter, Oct. 5, 2021

"We write on behalf of No More Deaths (“NMD”) in response to Border Patrol’s pattern of surveillance, harassment, and raids against NMD aid stations and volunteers. Border Patrol’s actions threaten NMD’s mission, the safety of those it serves, and the safety of its volunteers. This conduct runs afoul of the recommendations of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, raises serious constitutional concerns, and places a substantial burden on NMD’s sincere religious practice. On behalf of NMD, we demand that Border Patrol immediately cease raids, harassment, and surveillance of NMD camps and volunteers. We also request that Border Patrol reopen dialogue with NMD to seek reasonable accommodation of NMD’s religious and humanitarian mission. To this end, we request a prompt meeting with Border Patrol national leadership to discuss regular engagement on humanitarian work at the border and appropriate steps forward to ensure that humanitarian aid workers are able to operate without harassment and surveillance. ... Begun in 2004 as a ministry of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, since 2008 NMD has been an official ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson."