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Borderlands Resource Initiative's vision is a society transformed by the strength and resilience of asylum seekers and migrants. The "crisis" is entirely preventable. This is America's opportunity to defend our founding values. 1/41 The crisis is — Migration is not a crisis. About Borderlands Resource Initiative Borderlands Resource Initiative is transforming how Phoenix, Arizona responds to immigration enforcement- centering compassion, knowledge, and solidarity. We build coalitions, expand community capacity, and work directly with impacted migrants to protect their rights and preserve family unity. Borderlands' vision is a society transformed by the strength and resilience of asylum seekers and migrants. Our role in this vision is to demonstrate the possibilities when our communities and policies are rooted in dignity, respect, and transformative justice. Who we are In this high-stakes political moment, as mass deportation threats and anti-immigrant policies return to the national stage, Borderlands Resource Initiative (Borderlands) is defending the rights and dignity of migrants with the full force of community solidarity , legal empowerment, and grassroots action. Our frontline work meets the crisis not with fear, but with coordination and competency: from immigration court watch and ICE field office accompaniment, to Rapid Response training, Know Your Rights education, and our AQUÍ legal clinic. Every program is grounded in our commitment to non-extractive, community-embedded practice that centers migrant leadership and collective resilience. NAME / JOB / TITLE We are building power , not just responding to policy threats. Our court and ICE accompaniment programs ensure that no one faces the system alone. Our local partnerships provide legal services to support migrants in preparing asylum applications, cancellation of removal filings, bond packets, and more. We have invested deeply in providing training, interpretation, and practical assistance that scales legal and community defense capacity across the region. We know that migration is not a crisis, it’s a movement. In an era of intensified enforcement, militarization, and political scapegoating, Borderlands is anchoring a vision of justice, where immigrants are co-creators of bold, borderless communities that transform resistance into lasting liberation. Be the first to know Subscribe to our newsletter to receive news and updates. Enter your email here First name Last name Subscribe Thanks for subscribing!

Borderlands Resource Initiative is a proud member of Phx Rapid Response, a grassroots community defense network to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of migrants and immigrants in the Phoenix metro area.​ Community Defense Phx Rapid Response Borderlands Resource Initiative is a proud member of Phx Rapid Response , a grassroots community defense network to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of migrants and immigrants in the Phoenix metro area. In partnership with the Arizona Immigration Coalition, Phx Rapid Response maintains the Línea de Defensa, a 24 hour emergency ICE reporting hotline. Calls to the hotline reach hundreds of training responders across the Valley. To receive verified alerts about ICE activity in the Valley, follow @PhxRapidResponse on Instagram Migra Watch As part of the Phx Rapid Response community defense network, Migra Watch is focused on reporting, monitoring, and responding to ICE activity across the Phoenix metro area. To join Migra Watch, attend an upcoming Rapid Response training Anti-Repression Training Wed, Jun 24 RSVP DIY Resources Migra Watch pocket zines This guide helps responders document, share info, and support community members during immigration enforcement Low Ink Version Printshop Version Red Cards w/ Hotline Number These Know Your Rights cards are in English and Spanish, and include the Línea de Defensa hotline number at the bottom Red Cards Migra Watch whistles These 3D printing design files for whistles with the hotline number were all provided by local community members Small Whistle Large Whistle Workplace Yellow Cards These Know Your Rights cards help employees and employers respond and protect their rights in an ICE raid or I-9 audit English Version Spanish Version Instructions on folding one-page zines Rapid Response Accompaniment Protected Spaces Legal Clinic Events Community & Virtual Events Anti-Repression Training Jun 24, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM RSVP Businesses- Conocer sus Derechos // Know Your Rights Jul 15, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM RSVP DACA- Conocer sus Derechos // Know Your Rights Jul 29, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM RSVP

BRI’s vision is a society transformed by the strength and resilience of asylum seekers and migrants. Meet our Leadership Team Beth Strano Co-Founder & Executive Director Beth Strano is deeply committed to advocating for the rights and welfare of migrants and immigrants. Beth's expertise in human rights advocacy is backed by over two decades of community organizing, and more than a decade spent working directly with migrants Before her current role, Beth worked for four years at the International Rescue Committee, where she developed the Asylum Seekers & Families Program and founded the first migrant emergency shelter in Phoenix, Arizona, known as the Welcome Center. Her initiatives in that space provided critical support and a safe haven for more than 160,000 individuals and families navigating the challenges of forced displacement and migration. Beth's impact on the sector was highlighted in April 2021, when she testified before the U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management. Her testimony underscored the vital importance of informed, compassionate policies that uphold the dignity and rights of migrants arriving at the southwest border. Residing in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their four teenagers, Beth’s vision is to continue fostering partnerships across state and national borders, and work alongside other advocates to make a lasting impact on the lives of asylum seekers. Tyler Southwell, MD Co-Founder & Board Member Dr. Tyler Southwell is a personal physician and family medicine specialist based in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with over 24 years of experience in the medical field. Dr. Southwell practices at Southwellness Medical, a facility renowned for offering a broad range of medical services including pain management and aesthetic medicine. His approach combines medical expertise with a strong focus on community health needs, ensuring that his patients receive the most effective and compassionate care possible. Dr. Tyler Southwell played a foundational role in establishing ProtectAZ Health, a medical organization dedicated to providing free medical evaluations, medications, and, during the pandemic, COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and treatments. This organization established a full service medical clinic offering a vital first point of care for medically vulnerable migrants in Arizona. This clinic was instrumental in providing urgent medical services to a diverse group of patients from around the world, including those with critical conditions such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes, and pregnant women in need of immediate care.