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Most volunteers participate in desert trips, which include checking and resupplying existing aid drops, exploratory hiking, and trips to the border wall to aid asylum seekers who wait to be detained by the Border Patrol. Some trips involve a fair bit of physical exertion — for example, carrying 20-40 pounds of water and food for up to three miles — while others are far less demanding.

 

Most trips leave Tucson at 7am; earlier departures are common, especially in the summer. For almost all trips, we recommend sturdy shoes, hats, and sunscreen for sun protection, and long-sleeve pants and shirts to protect against spines from desert plants. Summer temperatures are well over 100 degrees (38 degrees Celsius); in winter we often encounter ice as temperatures frequently fall below freezing. Some people use walking sticks and gators (shin protection against snake bites). While the desert is harsh and can be dangerous, our top priority is to keep ourselves safe. Because cell service is nonexistent in most of the areas we travel, each trip carries an emergency communication device to summon help in a life-threatening situation. 

 

To protect ourselves and the people we encounter, we only accept volunteers who have received COVID vaccinations. Unless a trip will cross the border to provide support to migrants at Casa de la Esperanza in Sasabe, Sonora, no legal documentation or identification is needed. 

 

We require that all volunteers participate in training that provides important legal, medical, historical, and practical information. People who complete the volunteer form below will receive a link to the training videos or an invitation to in-person training sessions.