A Catholic priest who directed a migrant shelter in Tecate was found dead on May 17, two days after he was reported missing. His death has prompted calls from the Catholic Church for greater security for those in Mexico working with migrants and refugees.
Father José Guadalupe Rivas Saldaña, 57, served as pastor of St. Jude Thaddeus Parish in Tecate, about 30 miles east of Tijuana. Since June 2021, he also directed the migrant shelter there, Casa del Migrante de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.
"We know that people who defend the human rights of migrants and refugees are exposed to contexts of great adversity and violence, so it is essential that the state guarantees the protection of people who exercise this commitment," read a May 19 statement from the Scalabrinian mission, a congregation dedicated to the service of migrants and refugees.
