STUDENT/VISITOR OVERVIEW

Tucson Samaritans welcomes groups who are interested in learning more about our work in the borderlands. Since 2002, we have traveled in the harsh terrain of the Sonoran Desert to provide water, food, and medical aid for migrants in distress. This is our first priority. Guests are always welcome to ride and hike with us on a desert trip. It’s important to remember that this is not a sight-seeing tour, it’s a trip into a low-intensity militarized zone. So for you to get the most out of this trip, some preparation is needed.

Please review this page as well as the following:
    Application
    Advance Preparation
    Packing Guidelines
    Post Evaluation
    Housing

Please note the following guidelines, and submit forms where necessary.

1. Each individual intending to visit must submit an application with a $20 fee no less than 45 days prior to their anticipated arrival date. In case of illness, your fee may be refunded if we receive 48 hours’ notice, but we can’t give refunds for “no shows.”
2. To better prepare you for what you may encounter, we suggest some preliminary reading. A list of books and videos for advance preparation is provided, and we ask that you read or review one of them and answer a few short essay questions on your application.
3. A list of packing guidelines is provided. Please be sure to review this list and meet all our expectations.
4. We ask that you submit a student evaluation at the end of your trip. Your reflections and suggestions are appreciated.
   
5. Please note that we can provide only day trips, and that we do not provide overnight accommodations.There are many local overnight options that we can recommend, and you may also find helpful information on the web sites of these southern Arizona humanitarian aid organizations:

• No More Deaths – nomoredeaths.org
• Kino Border Initiative – kinoborderinitiative.org
• Humane Borders – humaneborders.org
• Border Action Network – borderaction.org
• Coalición de Derechos Humanos (“The Human Rights Coalition”) – derechoshumanosaz.net/

We ask that you observe the following protocols during your desert trip:

1. Always ask permission before photographing people. The Samaritans you are traveling with will advise
2. If you do not speak Spanish, a Samaritan will translate for you.
3. In medical interventions, please follow the instructions of the Samaritans so that we may provide critically needed services in a timely manner.
4. Be respectful with your choice of words when describing the individuals that we may encounter. They all have personal stories and situations that bring them here. We feel that the use of the term “illegal alien” is inappropriate. “Undocumented person” is a better alternative.
5. Please ask questions. If you have never been in this part of the country, it can seem quite extreme and quite different. We are happy to explain, caution, warn, instruct, explore, share stories with, and even wonder and admire with you.
6. If you will be in Tucson around the first Sunday of any month, you are encouraged to attend the regularly scheduled Tucson Samaritans training session from 1:30 to 5:00pm, at Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 W. 23rd  Street, Tucson, 85713. Training is led by experts from several fields, and includes a fascinating economic and political history of the borderlands, an overview of legal and medical issues, and descriptions of what to expect on a Samaritan trip.