Team Brownsville Dissolves as New Nonprofit Aims to Aid Migrants

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A New Chapter for Migrants’ Advocates

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — After seven years of dedicated service to migrants, the nonprofit organization Team Brownsville has officially closed its doors. However, the spirit of its mission lives on through a new group called Madrinas de Justicia, or Godmothers for Justice. This new initiative is affiliated with Grannies Respond, a New York-based nonprofit that supports community-driven efforts.

“We felt like we needed to ally ourselves to align ourselves with another nonprofit in a different state for support, for protection, so that we could continue doing important work,” said Andrea Rudnik, a founding member of Team Brownsville and now a key figure in the new organization. Rudnik, 65, along with two other retirees, Gerry Page and Kathy Harrington, both 78, decided to take this step after facing challenges from the Texas Attorney General’s office and the Trump administration’s policies on asylum.

The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, dropped the case against Team Brownsville after courts ruled in their favor. Despite this, Rudnik expressed concerns about the current political climate and the need for an out-of-state affiliation to ensure continued protection and support for their work.

“All three of us have put in a lot of heart and a lot of love into the work of Team Brownsville. But we did not feel safe anymore as an organization to continue having a nonprofit that was based here in Texas because of the current administration’s stance,” Rudnik explained.

Madrinas de Justicia plans to continue supporting migrants in northern Mexican border towns such as Reynosa and Matamoros. They will also assist those in the United States whose asylum cases are pending and who require help finding employment and basic necessities.

During its time in operation, Team Brownsville provided essential services to thousands of migrants. Volunteers transported wagons full of donations and meals to shelters and encampments in Matamoros. The organization also operated a Welcome Center in Brownsville, which helped migrants released by the federal government after crossing the border.

However, the center has since closed, and border crossings have reached historic lows during the second Trump administration. Despite these challenges, the team remains committed to their cause.

“We’ll probably continue to do what we’ve done before. We’ll provide services to the ones over that are stuck in Mexico because they’re certainly not able to come across. So we try to minister them as much as we can with hygiene products or just friendship, you know going over and giving a happy smile and a hug,” said Page.

Harrington noted that some migrants still hold onto hope for future crossings.

“There are some that are still hopeful. And they’re holding onto that hope,” she said.

Page is a great-grandmother, and Rudnik is a grandmother. Harrington used to run a business. All three women remain dedicated to helping those who wish to make the United States their home.

“We did lots of really important, wonderful work. And we had volunteers come from all over the country to work with us. Team Brownsville was a great organization,” Rudnik said. “We have to move on toward the future.”

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