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Borderlands Relief Collective

@borderlandsreliefcollective

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We leave supplies in the borderlands to support human rights, and to decrease the risk of death, for all people who cross through Kumeyaay land.

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by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Two men from China died on Otay Mountain in March 2025. Last weekend we hiked to the place where they died.

On March 14, 2025, it was raining in Tijuana, Tecate, San Diego, and in the borderlands between these cities. In the mountains, temperatures approached freezing. Migrants often try to cross in bad weather because visibility from surveillance towers is limited and highway checkpoints are often closed, which decreases the risk of apprehension by armed federal agents. On this day, several people attempted to cross, and three died — a woman from Nigeria near Tecate Peak, and two men from China at a shrine on Otay Mountain.

From the Customs & Border Protection (CBP) statement:
“Border Patrol agents assigned to the Chula Vista station responded to another distress call in the Otay Mountain Wilderness. Three people suspected of illegally crossing the border reported being lost and complained of hypothermia symptoms, difficulty breathing, lack of water or food, and low cell phone battery. Upon arrival, agents located a 16-year-old female and two deceased males, one of which was identified as the minor’s father.”

We recently learned the names of the two men who died:
Xiao Lianqing
Sun Pinhai

We do not know much about these two men, only their names and the official narrative above from the federal agency that failed to rescue them (all three were alive when they called for help; by the time agents arrived, the two men were dead).
We do not know why they were migrating or how they came to Otay Mountain.
We do not know the name of the daughter who watched her father die from the cold, where she is now, or how she is doing.

Volunteers from Border Angels and Borderlands Relief Collective hiked to the shrine on Otay Mountain to pay respects to Mr. Xiao and Mr. Sun, to pray for the safety and wellbeing of the daughter who survived, and to leave water, food, and other supplies for travelers passing through.

蕭良清
Xiao Lianqing

孫平海
Sun Pinhai

一路好行
Yīlù hǎo xíng
Safe Travels by @borderlandsreliefcollective

VIRTUAL WALL
(Pt. 2)

In a recent Investigation by MIT Technology Review and the Times of San Diego, journalists found that over 1,050 migrant deaths occurred between 2015 and early 2026 within the range of U.S. border surveillance towers (RVSS, IFT, autonomous systems), often in plain sight of the cameras rather than in blind spots.

Despite billions of dollars spent building a ‘virtual wall,’ the technology and agency response fail to save lives due to several systemic issues. With so many fatalities, it brings to question, what is the purpose of this expensive and faulty technology?

If it fails to support enforcement efforts and falls short when lives could be saved, how should its effectiveness and the agencies responsible for deploying it be evaluated?

Whether this is caused by algorithmic limitations, evasion tactics, camera field-of-view limits, lack of response, absence of performance tracking, delayed discovery, possible failures related to personnel distrusting the technology, or other forms of negligence, there are many questions left unanswered when it comes to the purpose of the border tower program.

What outcomes are these systems actually designed to achieve, how are those outcomes measured, and what happens when the technology detects a person but the system (or agents) fails to respond?

For now, our best response is to continue the work we are doing alongside humanitarian groups supplying water, food, and first-aid near the border.

When systemic violence and tech fail humanity repeatedly, the most immediate response should be to protect the people caught in the gap, while continuing to question and dismantle those gaps in the meantime.

To read the full article, visit @technologyreview https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/09/21/1144166/border-towers-surveillance-investigation by @borderlandsreliefcollective

THE VIRTUAL WALL
(Pt. 1)

In late September, MIT Technology Review and the Times of San Diego shared an article detailing their investigation into the surveillance technologies around the border. One of the more chilling aspects of their review was the extremely high number of migrant deaths occurring within range of many of the U.S. border surveillance towers.

Technology can extend their ‘eyes’ but it cannot replace human judgment, accountability, or the decision to act.

What does it mean when people can be seen, but still aren’t saved?

[slides 12-14 are photos of the site of Graciela Gómez Hernández's death days after her remains were recovered. a group of humanitarian volunteers went to pay respects and put up a memorial cross in her honor]

To read the full investigation, visit @technologyreview or via the link below
https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/09/21/1144166/border-towers-surveillance-investigation by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Gathering… been spending time lately gaining perspectives on #immigration #migration #border #empathy grateful to all the #humanitarian organizations doing work along the US border like @borderangelsofficial @borderlandsreliefcollective by @borderlandsreliefcollective

A Honduras family of five and their dog Kiko are in need of support from the community. They are facing financial hardship and a loss of income, after the arrest and violent ICE detainment of dad. The family is currently living without income while mom is pregnant and now single-parenting their two boys and family dog.

Due to threats made by immigration agents @mutualaidformomssd has organized daily ICE watches, meal support, and transportation alongside other community teams.

Please consider donating and sharing to help this family stay safe and healthy.

Venmo: @mutualaidformoms
Note: for family 🦋

http://venmo.com/mutualaidformoms by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Collaboration water drop between @borderlandsreliefcollective and @borderangelsofficial on 9/12/26 in the mountains east of San Diego on the border with Mexico. Volunteers placed a cross and plaque to honor Julio Flores Garcia, who passed away in February 2011 from hypothermia. The mountains are beautiful but can be deadly cold in the winter and scorching hot in the Summer. 📷 @mt.minty by @borderlandsreliefcollective

September is an important time for water drops. The heat remains intense at the end of summer, making it a critical time to provide life-sustaining support and rescues when possible. This time of year comes with a heaviness too.

In September 2024, within a single week, at least ten people died on or near Otay Mountain during a heat wave.

One of the individuals who passed was Samuel Villegas Perez, a 20 year old man from Oaxaca. He died on Otay Mountain near the border on September 6, 2024.

Several water drop volunteers from our community participated in the search for Samuel, and this day we honor his life and the immense grief still felt for the loss of this young man. Our hearts are with Samuel and his family, along with the many other people who have died crossing the border and their families left behind.

We have a water drop route named Samuel’s Trail, where his memorial rests. This area has not been visited since we were told by US Border Patrol that the Bureau of Land Management was banning us from using the road that runs along the border wall that leads to Samuel’s Trail.

After a lot of effort we obtained legal counsel and had a meeting with BP and BLM last week to discuss these changes, and it seems as though we will be able to access this area once again. Our first drop back in this area of the mountain was on the eve of the anniversary of Samuel’s passing.

Samuel and the many people lost deserved better.

Thank you to all the volunteers who hiked out on September 7, 2024 with the intent of helping Samuel and to @alotrolado_org @borderkindness @angelesdeldesierto @collies.against.borders @borderangelsofficial @borderlandsreliefcollective for all the ways you show up with so much strength and care. We are grateful to all the people showing up (and those behind the scenes) to protect people's lives and dignity.

Tonight we honor Samuel by asking you to take care and allow space for the grief of systemic violence, and do something this week to make someone in your communities life a little brighter 🕯️ by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Volunteers recently met with agents of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to negotiate how we can continue to do water drops, search-and-rescue, and other humanitarian relief work in the “Wilderness” in San Diego County. The Feds expressed concern about “environmental impact.” There was discussion of microplastics (we said, talk to Groupo PiSA, the company that makes Electrolit, cuz their fragile bottles rapidly disintegrate into tiny fragments), and debate about whether or not crates and buckets containing water bottles and humanitarian supplies are “structures” or “installations” that are forbidden by the Wilderness Act of 1964.

We reminded the Feds that we care deeply about the environment, too, and haul out huge amounts of trash every time we hike in the mountains and deserts near the border. Indeed, no other group of hikers, bikers, equestrians, off-roaders, hunters, environmentalists, bird watchers, or gun shooters does more trash cleanup in the California borderlands than the three water drop teams (AOL, BA, and BRC, plus those who fly under the radar).

On our water drops, volunteers educated in environmental science and ecology often point out invasive species. We hike past Sahara mustard, pampas grass, and giant reed (Arundo donax), and as we approach our cars near dawn we are greeted by the bovine bellowing of Lithobates catesbeianus, the American bullfrog.

Consider this: which subgroup of animals has caused the most damage to this land and native life forms including Homo sapiens who lived here prior to 1492?

[Continued in Comments…] by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Catch us tabling dyke fest this year fundraising for the homies @borderlandsreliefcollective who provide life saving mutual aid along our southern border.
As always, EVERTHING is FREE on our table but any and all extra donations will go toward the fundraiser. Come get some zines, stickers from @radicalgraffiti , bootleg prints and more alongside so many amazing bands and vendors!

📍 @nonplusultrala
📆 08/30/26
⏰ 4:30pm
🎟️ $15 presale/ $20 ATD
🎶 Julie F the Rulies, Liminal, Nicki Chen, Caspia, Dependable Son, tearyeyes, Rx.pinknoise, weepingwillowtree, Call Me The Boxer, Aloe F
🛍️ Joni Million, Eurydyce, Direct Action Distro, Pyrophyte Distro

𝕹𝖔 𝕭𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘, 𝕹𝖔 𝕹𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘!
Ⓐ⬋⬋⬋Ⓔ by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Part 2: On Tuesday August 4, we lost a dearly beloved member of the water drop community: Mogu.

To honor her life, legacy and how much we loved her, @borderlandsreliefcollective and @borderangels set out on a hike the following weekend to scout and tend to drop sites in the heat of the summer, just like Mogu had been doing for years.

A few human friends of Mogu that hiked together this day had reflections to share with Mogu's family, community, all those who love Mogu, and with everyone who has supported the work we do.

These are their words above 🧡

[caption for the Nahuatl poem from Canteares Mexicanos (flower and song) and English translation in the comments] by @borderlandsreliefcollective

Part 1: On Tuesday August 4, we lost a dearly beloved member of the water drop community: Mogu.

To honor her life, legacy and how much we loved her, @borderlandsreliefcollective and @borderangels set out on a hike the following weekend to scout and tend to drop sites in the heat of the summer, just like Mogu had been doing for years.

A few human friends of Mogu that hiked together this day had reflections to share with Mogu's family, community, all those who love Mogu, and with everyone who has supported the work we do.

These are their words above <3 by @borderlandsreliefcollective