The Daniel F. Romero Center for Border Ministries and Strategies

Global Ministries recognizes Daniel F. Romero of Centro Romero with an Award of Affirmation at the 2019 Global Ministries International Dinner. 

Read the most recent update on Centro Romero.

Read about Centro Romero saving lives amid forced migration and pandemic: The Story of Berta 

Since its founding, Centro Romero has been a leader in the field of practical theology with a special interest in immigration issues, migrant advocacy, sex trafficking, economic justice, and environmental justice. Since 2015, Centro Romero has worked on the U.S./Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico and Southern California. They welcome migrant children traveling on their own, single mothers traveling with their children, and other vulnerable populations. Centro Romero provides housing, food, medical attention, psychological support, and pastoral care for families and individuals seeking political asylum and affected by current United States immigration policies. 

Most families arriving at Centro Romero are originally from Central America, including Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Another large constituency receiving support from Centro Romero are individuals from Haiti and Africa. Centro Romero provides for the immediate relief, but also works to promote family empowerment and reunification, and assists in gaining access to legal services for families.

In addition to these services for migrant families, the Centro Romero offers a community lecture program and hosts fact-based discussions on the factors driving migration from Central America. They also train and provide volunteer opportunities for individuals in both Tijuana and San Diego to represent refugee families and provide advocacy training.

 

Update December 2019:

Carlos Correa Bernier, Executive Director of Centro Romero, was present for the 2019 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the 2019 General Synod of the United Church of Christ. As part of the workshops, Carlos spoke about the current work of Centro Romero.

Carlos explained that given the current situation in Central America and Mexico and the immigration policies of the current United States administration, the work of Centro Romero continues to be vital to those at the Tijuana and San Diego border, one of the busiest border crossings in the western hemisphere. Carlos explained that Centro Romero is a Christian community maintained primarily by volunteers. In the past, a primary focus of the Center was to offer immersion experiences for seminarians and churches in the United States to educate them on the experience of migrants at the border. However, given current events, the Center has engaged further in ministering to and caring for the many migrants who find themselves trapped in an inhumane system at the border. Carlos reported that large groups of migrants have been abandoned in Tijuana without basic necessities or care. He reported children as young as four were among those dropped off without resources in Tijuana. The needs of the migrants include housing, medical care, food, and prevention of dangers such as sex trafficking and other exploitation of vulnerable populations. Carlos explained that Centro Romero continues to address these needs through a mobile medical unit, providing food, and educating these populations about issues such as sex trafficking.

Update March 2020: Centro Romero COVID-19 Response

Centro Romero has been concerned for and working with the large community of migrants who are stranded at the United States – Mexico border following the Unites States policy of requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. There are currently around 1,200 migrants from Central America in the Tijuana, Mexico area who are living in tent communities. Centro Romero is working alongside ecumenical and community partners and the Tijuana city government to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to members of this migrant community.

As part of this response, Centro Romero is prioritizing care for single mothers and their children, the number of households is currently 52. Centro Romero plans to move these mothers and their children from tents into hotel rooms where they will be more isolated from the coronavirus.

Centro Romero also is identifying U.S. and Mexican pharmacies and labs along the border where COVID-19 tests can be sourced for use in this community.

To read more of the original statement from Centro Romero click here. 

Update December 2020

The Center has completed a new shower facility which greatly expands the capacity of the center’s sanctuary hospitality program. For the families staying at the center, this new facility offers a greater sense of dignity because there is a space specifically for their use.

The new shower facility will allow the center to continue receiving sanctuary families into the center. This includes families often residing in the United States and seeking to apply for political asylum. The center provides all who are staying at the facility with legal services, medical care, meals, and education services. The Daniel F. Romero Center for Border Ministries and Strategies is committed to continuing to offer this assistance and accompaniment for migrant families.

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Update August 2024

Like many other organizations, 2023 was a year of adjustments for Centro Romero around the changes imposed by the COVID pandemic. However, at Centro Romero, we managed to identify the opportunities that emerged during the same period. During the months of low activity, we were able to develop a new strategic plan, which, in its implementation, has helped us move towards a more transparent future regarding the variety of programs and ministries that define our ministry portfolio.

C7 is a Centro Romero program designed to address the spiritual-emotional needs of the participants. In 2023, we established a new C7 in Colonia Altamira, which has been an unserved area since the beginning of our ministry in 2007. C7— Altamira aims to respond to the new influx of Spanish-speaking families who are going through the challenges of obtaining political asylum.

As a result of the opportunities with new arrivals, we established a new program as part of C7: The Compassionate Community Cuisine. Through this program, and in partnership with several food banksand local supermarkets, we distribute food to families that recently arrived to the border area. Along with this program, we established the Welcome Church program, which distributes protein packs to folks experiencing homelessness in Tijuana.

Since the beginning of Centro Romero, our vision has been focused on the development of new leaders who can help us ensure the future of our mission and long-term ministerial efforts. For this reason, we established the Center for Theological Studies through which we are implementing the educational strategy better known as P.A.L.L.: (Program for the Training of Lay Leaders). Through P.A.L.L. we train and empower lay leaders from different congregations who are interested in social justice, church ministries, community outreach, and education. Currently, we have 25 students actively participating in a series of training and educational meetings that take place once a month.

The conglomeration of migrants from different parts of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and many other countries has created an unsustainable situation, especially for those who cannot cross to the United States. This is even more the case for those over the age of 50 years old and single mothers. In 2023, Centro Romero launched the Mercy Project, through which we build small residences for older adults or single mothers living in inhumane conditions. While Centro Romero oversees raising funds for each construction project, Alfa & Omega Church provides volunteers who help build the houses. Participants from C7 are in charge of the compliance requirements, including building permits from the city of Tijuana. The average cost per house is approximately ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). Sponsors previously raised the funds before starting the construction project. We aim to build between 2-4 homes per year.

One of the unknown victims of migratory movements towards the border between Mexico and the United States are children who travel alone and who have been abandoned during their journey to the United States. Centro Romero provides leadership, coordination, infrastructure, and volunteerism for implementing The Promised Land Children’s Program, which takes place every summer. Through the program, we offer boys and girls (approximately between 100 and 200 children each year) a safe place to which they can go during the summer months, where they will be provided with activities, food, exercises, and toys that promote their physical, spiritual, and cognitive development.

Many individuals within the community face a cancer diagnosis without being able to count on support programs that can address both individual and family’s emotional and spiritual needs. In response to this reality, in 2023, Centro Romero began Grupos Zoé, a psycho-oncological support group program through which we address the spiritual and emotional ups and downs that people who are living with a diagnosis of cancer and their respective families face daily. The leadership of Grupos Zoé are also Centro Romero leaders who have faced a cancer diagnosis or who have lost a family member because of the disease.

Our future plans are centered around leadership development. Investing in the education and empowerment of our volunteers and leaders is not just a key strategy for the long-term well-being of Centro Romero but also a testament to their value in the ministries and programs currently in development. Additionally, we are interested in finding a way to send several of our leaders to theological schools or seminaries so that they can obtain the necessary ministerial credentials.

Our building in San Ysidro, which will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary, is in desperate need of several repairs. Therefore, we are launching a crucial capital campaign. This campaign, which we can only embark on with external support, aims to raise the necessary funds for repairs vital to the well-being of the building and, by extension, the programs at Centro Romero.

To illustrate Centro Romero’s ministry, the story of Sandra Cortés is, without a doubt, moving. Sandra came to Centro Romero due to our community outreach programs in Tijuana. At the time of approaching us, Sandra was beginning to go through the painful process of a divorce, which is why she specifically approached the C7 groups. Three months after consistently participating in our programs, Sandra was diagnosed with a highly aggressive type of breast cancer. As a result of her relationship situation and now with the diagnosis of cancer, the Centro Romero community was activated extraordinarily. As in other programs, our approach to Sandra’s challenges was a holistic one, paying attention to her physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Since then, Sandra has been a survivor in her fight against cancer. As part of her treatment and preventive actions, Sandra underwent a mastectomy, an experience she uses to promote the importance of spiritual life as an integral part of her recovery and self-acceptance. Today, Sandra Cortés is the president of our board of directors and the coordinator of the P.A.L.L. program. It is worth mentioning that, during her fight against cancer, Sandra was one of the recipients of the Randi Walker Scholarship Fund for Women, through which she obtained a B.A. in psychology. Sandra is also one of the leading presenters of Grupos Zoé groups.