The Ark Immigration Clinic Visits the Border

The first week of December, Rabbi James and Noah Habeeb traveled with HIAS to San Diego and Tijuana to learn from the people doing the most important work supporting immigrants coming to the border with Mexico.

Among the things that broke our hearts:
• Learning that local hospitals have had to create separate units just for people who are badly injured after falls from the border wall.
• Hearing ICE agents and a detention center warden talking about the situation, saying that deporting people is “a calling.”
• Seeing two moms with two small kids looking tiny next to the border wall, being photographed by border control, standing in the chilly evening air, and then being put into a bus and locked into a cage inside to be transferred to a detention center.

Among the things that filled our souls:
• Visiting a rainbow-painted shelter for LGBTQ+ migrants in Tijuana and hearing powerful stories from the people waiting there about how they feel being treated with such care and dignity.
• Seeing the amazing mobilization of Jewish Family Services in welcoming those who make it into the US, and making art with some of the children temporarily staying there.
• Talking with some of the LGBTQ+ migrants we met and letting them know that if they get to New York City, the Ark will be ready to welcome and support them as they apply for asylum.

At one point during the trip, we sang together the song that has been the Ark’s anthem since it began; we invite you to sing with us.

Courage my friend
you do not walk alone
We will walk with you
and sing your spirit home