San Antonio’s Commitment to Serve Migrants and Refugees and Engage in National and Global Advocacy

City of San Antonio

Mayor

Gina Ortiz Jones

Start of Project

01/06/2022

End of Project

01/06/2025

© Mayors Migration Council / San Antonio Migrant Resource Center

Overview

San Antonio pledges to serve migrants and refugees by securing funding for its Migrant Resource Center (MRC) for direct service delivery and engaging in national and global advocacy to improve immigration and asylum policies.

As the United States’ seventh-largest city, just 150 miles from the Mexico border, San Antonio hosts thousands of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Central America. In response, San Antonio launched the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) in July 2022 to provide essential services such as legal assistance and social support for asylum seekers. Beyond humanitarian response, San Antonio aims to enhance its community engagement collaborations, fostering long-term refugee inclusion and improving accountability to the city’s migrant and refugee communities. To reinforce these commitments, San Antonio will engage in advocacy efforts with state, federal, and global officials. These initiatives serve as a countermeasure to adverse state and federal policies that impede migrants' right to asylum. The city will also engage in global advocacy, leveraging Mayor Ron Nirenberg's role as the newest member of the Mayors Migration Council's Leadership Board.

Priority Objectives

Improving migration governance and forced displacement protection

Protecting those most vulnerable

Providing access to urban infrastructure, social services, and education,

regardless of status

Supporting reception and advancing community sponsorship initiatives