HUGS NOT WALLS

A POWERFUL PROTEST & ACT OF RESILIENCE

The emotional and historic “Hugs Not Walls” event returned in October for its ninth edition in the El Paso-Juárez region, families to physically meet and hug their loved ones after years of forcible separation by inhumane immigration and border resiliency of the immigrant community, serves as a protest against family separations and calls for a comprehensive immigration reform that can justly address this humanitarian crisis.

The event was organized by the BNHR, with the collaboration of the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA), and co-sponsored by the Border Agricultural Workers Center and the Peace and Justice Ministry of El Paso Catholic Diocese. This year, the BNHR coordinated with HBO to document the event for an upcoming documentary showcasing the emotional journeys of families on both sides of the border and solution to the immigration crisis at the southern border.

The BNHR set COVID-19 preventative measures like face masks, complete COVID-19 vaccination, and negative COVID-19 tests for all attendees during the event.

MEASURABLE PROGRESS:

On October 15th, 2022, BNHR held its 9th #HugsNotWalls event where more than 200 families subjected to forced separation participated. BNHR staff and organizers accomplished the goal of building a bridge where those families were able to hug and embrace. Federal, county and city officials were present, along with allies and press.