Kino Border Initiative advances Migrant Community Campus in Nogales

NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — Kino Border Initiative (KBI) is moving forward with plans for a new Migrant Community Campus adjacent to its Migrant Outreach Center, unveiling a community-driven design, the organization said in a press statement. The organization framed the campus as a long-term tool to extend dignity and belonging to people who arrive in Nogales seeking support and stability.

KBI purchased two acres for the campus in 2023 and has already activated the site with community events — soccer matches, field days and carne asadas — while protecting the property with fencing. The organization says the campus is intended to respond to changing migration patterns in Nogales, where many people now spend months or years and require more than emergency aid: spaces for healing, learning, recreation, spiritual reflection and community life.

The campus design grew out of KBI’s 2021 strategic planning process, which prioritized “Holistic Accompaniment” and “Local Hospitality.” Rather than expanding geographically, KBI chose to deepen services in Nogales and to shape new facilities around the needs and voices of migrants themselves. An architect specializing in social design and a psychologist led participatory workshops with migrants, children, staff and volunteers to determine what features mattered most.

Planned elements include child-centered recreation areas, shaded patios and gathering spaces, flexible rooms for workshops and services, quiet spaces for prayer and reflection, wellness areas, public art and a Way of the Cross walking path designed to buffer city noise and provide moments of reflection. The campus is being designed with flexibility so it can adapt as needs evolve, KBI said.

The campaign has already raised $2,976,620 toward the total. KBI appealed for community support to close the $3.6 million gap and complete construction.

Migrants who use KBI’s services described the project as a source of hope. “Knowing that this space will continue to grow and be able to help even more people like me gives me hope,” said César, who was recently deported after living in the United States for more than 30 years. Marta, a mother, highlighted the need for safe play spaces for children; another community member, Efraín, called the emerging campus “my second home” as construction progresses.

KBI emphasized that the campus is not the mission itself but a tool to better live out its commitment to accompaniment and hospitality. For more information, interested supporters can reach out to KBI's development office via their official site.