Sister City International project exchange: providing resources for migrants

Author

Claire SaldañaFollow

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Degree Level

B.A.

Program

Political Science

First Advisor

Smith, Betsy

Second Advisor

Langston, Camille

Document Type

Thesis

Medium

pdf

LCSH subject

Immigrants; San Antonio (Tex.) -- Sister cities; Nonprofit organizations

Abstract

Migrants continuously enter the United States through the southern border and overwhelm Texas border cities’ resources. Many migrants entering U.S. have travel plans; however, they need basic resources to continue their journey. San Antonio has one of the best migrant resource center models in the country but are increasingly overwhelmed with the continuous surges. This proposal focuses on the City of San Antonio, as it is the main port of transportation for migrants to the rest of the U.S. Through the Sister City International program San Antonio will create a letter of intent for an exchange program. The creation of this exchange program will implement a model for migrant resource centers in Guadalajara and Monterrey, San Antonio’s Sister Cities in Mexico. The program will provide basic resources, travel plans, and a route for families migrating while also relieving Texas cities. Because of the lack of resources and authority this solution may be used by municipalities as they do not have the power to create immigration policy and the federal government has not reformed U.S. immigration policy. Additionally, this model brings awareness to the immigration crisis across the region and the need for welcoming policies. The literature shows that welcoming and humane immigration policies and programs are beneficial to both parties involved. The program strives to create a more efficient information system for the three cities to predict surges and the different needs of migrants. This solution also strive to strengthen U.S. relations across borders.

Recommended Citation

Saldaña, C. R. (2024). “Sister City International Project Exchange: Providing Resources for Migrants” [Honors Thesis, St. Mary’s University].

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License