Hugo Castro: Activism Knows No Borders

Born in Salinas, California, Hugo Castro has seen the difficulties workers arriving from other countries, although he wasn’t always aware how harsh reality was on the border. 
Today, Castro serves as the Baja California Coordinator for Border Angels, an immigrants’ rights advocacy and action group. His volunteer work leads him to seek resources and binational alliances with the purpose of providing support and safety to stranded workers in the border cities of Baja California. 
Castro has many experiences in his life. A major event in his life that lead him to his calling was his time as the owner of a car repair shop in Mexicali, Baja California. Gradually, his business stopped being profitable and Castro, mired in a desperate moment, accepted an offer he would have never considered. 
“I was in despair and falling into depression over losing my shop. Someone out there knew I was an American citizen, and in 2001 I stupidly accepted driving a car carrying narcotics into the United States for $1000,” Castro said. “I lost my shop and I didn’t see my children for two years; not being able to see my children  was what made me suffer most.” 
Castro was jailed from 2001 to 2003.  Inside Taft Correctional Institute, Castro had the opportunity to study community college courses. Castro received his associate degree in business during his imprisonment. After being released, Castro continued his studies and entered San Diego State University, where he graduated in 2006. 
Hugo began collaborating with Border Angels in 2009, after a professor at SDSU invited him to help out. Since then, Castro has been one of the first people ready and willing to assist in various humanitarian causes in the region. 
“Professor Rogelio Reyes at San Diego State University invited me to participate in the annual march for migrant. On that occasion we visited the mass cemetery in Holtville, California, where more than 500 unidentified people have died crossing the border,” said Castro about his first time working with Border Angels. 
In April 2010, following an unjustified arrest at SDSU’s campus, Castro thought about protesting his detention by burning his diploma on campus at SDSU. Dr. Sergio Elizondo, another professor at SDSU Castro studied under and a Chicano activist and leader, recommended that Castro focus on other injustices and headed to Mexicali, where there is always social work to do. 
“We fought against Arizona’s  SB1070 law and organized marches for May Day, among many other things. I had not noticed how hard migrants had it so I began to provide more and more support in Mexicali and the Imperial Valley,” Castro recalled about his start in activism in Mexicali. 
Despite looking to do  good for the benefit of those who suffer great injustices, Castro has not had an easy run in his engagement of social justice. In 2013 Castro was arrested in Tijuana on multiple occasions. 
“I was arrested in June 2013 for holding a peaceful protest. In August of the same year I was helping at a camp for migrants and was arrested again. In September I was detained but was released after an hour,” Castro said. “But on October 7, 2013, [Tijuana police officers] arrested me and beat me near the South Regional facility in the La Mesa neighborhood Tijuana, just in front of the precinct offices. I was arrested for 36 hours that according because they said I was a provocateur. I only protested so that police stopped arresting migrants in Tijuana and to call a halt to deportations in United States.” 
Over time, treatment to migrant has been improving. Castro shared that in 2011 it was a common practice to arrest the Mexican immigrants deported at night many did not have their official identification. Today, deportation letters are accepted as a form of identification and that has put an end to the raids upon repatriated mexican nationals. 
Still, after years on this front, Castro keeps aiming to have a constant impact on the lives of these international workers. Just last week, Castro helped bring much needed relief and resources to 18 shelters for migrants in Tijuana as part of Border Angels’ Day of Love movement. The coordinated effort facilitated the distribution of 3,000 tons of food and other resources to institutions fighting for the dignity of those who seek a prosperous life far from their land. 
Castro’s struggle, in conjunction with Border Angels and other organizations, will continue through the weekend. This Friday, February 17, Castro will be one of the coordinators of a human wall in Playas de Tijuana, which will bring together more than 100 people, joined hand-to-hand, to send a message of unity and resistance in the wake of the infamous border wall project. 
Castro ended his interview with La Prensa San Diego by inviting all those interested in making a change in participating with Border Angels. 
“Regardless of whether we are citizens of United States or Mexico, we all have to fight for the rights of others. Look for us online or on Facebook as Border Angels. Please support our campaigns and collection drives if you can,” Castro concluded.