Stories: Comunidad de Luz
From Alaska to Tijuana: Comunidad de Luz Helps an Alaskan Family
On February 19, 2026, EDSD became aware of a mother and her three children, ages 5, 16, and 18, who were taken into the U.S. immigration system in Soldotna, Alaska. The mother and the 5 and 16-year-olds were quickly flown thousands of miles south to San Diego and deported to Tijuana, Mexico. The rapid sequence of events left the family and friends disoriented and frightened. The mother was separated from her 18-year-old son, who remains detained. What followed is a powerful story of connection across dioceses, borders, and ministries–a reminder of how faith communities can respond when vulnerable people suddenly find themselves bereft.
Comunidad de Luz Opens
On April 1, 2025, in Tijuana, Mexico, dozens of community leaders, clergy, and advocates gathered for the ribbon cutting of Comunidad de Luz or “Community of Light,” the newest shelter in Tijuana supporting migrant women and children. It is a testament to the healing work that can happen when people of faith answer the call to serve.
Organized by the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego (EDSD), in partnership with Via International, the Vida Joven Foundation, the Pacifica Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Anglican Church in Tijuana, the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of years of prayer, planning, and coalition-building. The shelter will provide housing and wraparound services for up to 150 women and children fleeing violence, poverty, and instability across Latin America.
EDSD Establishes Hope with Comunidad de Luz
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego (EDSD) has partnered with three other organizations — Via International, the Anglican Diocese of Western Mexico, and Vida Joven — to establish Comunidad de Luz, or Community of Light, a new shelter in Southern Tijuana that aims to provide the necessary wholistic care for women and children in need.
The San Diego/Tijuana border is one of the busiest in the nation. According to the Latin Times, “about 200 people have been deported daily from San Diego to Tijuana since June [2024].” Since the increase of immigration enforcement in January, this number may be rising.
Comunidad de Luz: A Shelter for Women and Children
Tijuana has long been a crossroads for migrants from rural areas of Mexico, including indigenous groups and impoverished farming communities. Every year, families from across the country arrive at the border, hoping to find better-paying jobs and a more secure way of life. Many also hold the dream of crossing into the United States, seeking to escape violence, corruption, and a lack of opportunity, but many find themselves stuck in Tijuana due to stringent U.S. immigration laws. In recent years, the scope of migration has broadened to include not only Mexicans but also people from nations such as Haiti, Venezuela, and various Central American countries, all seeking asylum and a better life.