Causes: Advocacy, Migration, Social Justice
You will find us under a new name this year, Estrella del Paso (formerly Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services). What remains the same is our commitment to providing immigration legal services, advocacy, and community outreach to protect immigrants’ rights.
At the start of 2024, Estrella del Paso launched its new identity and logo with elements that symbolizes who we are and what we do and connects it to our beautiful border community. The video below explains the special symbolism and meaning in our new logo.
In 2023, Estrella del Paso provided 57,248 services to people from 60 countries around the globe. This was only possible because of regular donations from people like YOU.
The journey for two young brothers started as unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S. Mexico border alone, to now living in the U.S. as American citizens.
Victor was only 10 years old when he and his 7-year-old brother Martin presented themselves to border agents to ask for asylum. They were placed in a children’s shelter operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. It was while at the shelter that they became clients of Estrella del Paso’s Unaccompanied Minors Program, UMP. With the help of a team of Estrella attorneys, caseworkers, and social workers, the boys reunified with their father in El Paso. The Estrella del Paso team discovered their father is a U.S. citizen and started what would be a 6-year process for Victor and Martin to become naturalized citizens.
“I feel happy because that was my goal. To be here with my legal documentation so I could start a better life,” said Victor who is now 16 years old. Victor plans to continue pursuing his education and has set goals of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, or a mechanic.
Martin learned about his naturalization on his 13th birthday!
“I feel very happy because my family kept it from me as a surprise. My sister said she had known for two weeks that I would finally be able to go see my Grandpa (in Mexico)”
This new status for these young brothers provides access to educational and professional opportunities, while also granting them the privilege to visit relatives in Mexico. Like many of us, somos de aquí, somos de allá.
Your donations make it possible for us to provide these services to people like Martine and Victor completely free of charge.
Thank you for your support.
