In 1897, the first Salesian missionaries settled in San Francisco, California. Today, hundreds of Salesian Priests, Brothers and Sisters based in New Jersey, New York, Texas, California and Montreal, Quebec serve thousands of youth and families throughout the United States and Canada. Their programs encompass day care centers, elementary and high schools, formation houses, religious education centers, parishes, summer camps, development offices and youth centers. In border towns between Mexico and the United States — Tijuana, Mexicali, Nogales, Ciudad Juárez, Cuidad Acuňa and Nuevo Laredo (among others) — our missionaries have assumed a crucial role in assisting thousands of Central American and Haitian migrants seeking asylum from natural disasters, drug-related violence and abject poverty. In addition to meeting basic needs such as shelter and meals, they help children and families navigate the complex immigration process with translation services, residency paperwork, language instruction and other technical assistance. Missionaries also work to develop multi-dimensional responses to the root causes of migration. In addition to these efforts, missionaries in Mexico focus on preventing impoverished youth from dropping out of school, and teaching girls and young mothers how to build independent futures.