We are mucho mas

A volunteer-led bilingual helpline that takes calls every weekday, supporting people with commissary funds, books, legal referrals, a bag of clothes, and a listening ear.

 A post-release program that works with families and people coming out of detention to ensure a safe trip home and supports people as they transition from Stewart Detention Center (SDC) into freedom. 

A family care program that pays rent and utility bills for families affected by detention and deportation. 

And support for people at SDC in advocating for their freedom, while we push for the release of all people from SDC and the end of detention. 

This is who El Refugio is today. In fact, we are mucho mas. 

El Refugio was founded 11 years ago based on the belief that all people have inherent dignity. We strive to offer meaningful hospitality. 

For 10 years, that meant opening our hospitality house every weekend to people visiting loved ones at SDC and visiting people who did not have loved ones to visit them. 

When the pandemic struck, ICE shut down visitations nationwide. More than two years later, only one detention center has re-opened detention, and it isn’t SDC. We are pushing ICE to force CoreCIVIC to re-open visitation, but we have no idea when that will happen. 

However, El Refugio is so much more than a hospitality house and a visitation program. We are mucho mas. 

We are here to provide hospitality to people at SDC and their loved ones in whatever form that takes. We will be here until everyone is released from SDC and SDC has shut its doors for good.