October 22nd–25th | Kern County, Central Valley of California
Join us for a weekend of unity with the local community in Kern County; lifting up the lived experiences and demands of people impacted by immigration detention, and their family members. This is the fifth year of our annual pilgrimage, where people impacted by detention and/or deportation, their family members, faith leaders, community members, and organizers come together to bear witness to the harms of detention centers, as well as practicing and envisioning what it means to Become a Beloved Community.
Our pilgrimages are part of a statewide campaign for detention closure and for the liberation and well-being of all people. While the power of our community has helped close 9 out of 15 ICE detention centers over the past decade, the unlawful and violent attacks and disappearances of immigrants has meant that the number of those detained has doubled since 2025 exacerbating already dangerous conditions: of overcrowding, denial of basic medical care, and a high risk of death.
Additionally, since the beginning of 2005 two new detention centers have opened in Kern county and the threat of further detention expansion in California looms. Local California communities which host ICE detention facilities also struggle with a lack of food security, dignified jobs, adequate housing and medical care in the shadows of billion-dollar private prison companies operating without transparency and accountability.
This year we will converge in Kern County, to highlight the daily lives of not only the people held within the four operating detention centers of the Central Valley (See picture above), but also of the people living outside within these communities. We will visit Bakersfield (home of the Mesa Verde ICE Detention Center), McFarland (home to Golden State Annex and Central Valley Annex), and California City (home to California City ICE Detention) and engage with the local community through acts of service and Beloved Community to address their needs and concerns. The pilgrimage will conclude with an Interfaith Pilgrimage walk to the illegally operating California City ICE Detention Center. A detention center that opened without having the proper permits or business licenses in the local California City community.
Please join us for the Pilgrimage/Encuentro ’26: Becoming Beloved Communities / Construyendo Comunidades Amadas on the weekend of October 22nd to October 25th.
WHEN: 3pm, Thursday, October 22nd through Sunday, October 25th at 3pm
WHERE: Starts in Bakersfield on Thursday (10/22), McFarland on Friday (10/23), and California City on both Saturday (10/24) and Sunday (10/25).
How Can You Participate?
PARTICIPATE AS AN INDIVIDUAL
Who do we want to come? Immigrant people, allies, families/individuals impacted by immigration detention, faith leaders, students, local organizers, community members. People who are open to learning, serving, and taking action.
PARTICIPATE AS AN ORGANIZATION
Who do we want to come? Allied organizations who are fighting for the abolition of carceral systems. Organizations who work for the wellbeing of their communities: healthcare, food sovereignty, etc.
CAN’T MAKE IT? DONATE!
Sponsor a participant. Help raise commissary funds for those detained and mutual aid for the local Kern County community, which we will bring to the Pilgrimage/Encuentro ’26.
Thank you for your interest in attending our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26: Becoming Beloved Community/Construyendo una Comunidad Amada set for October 22nd to October 25th. Where we experience a weekend of unity with the local Kern County community; by lifting up the lived experiences and demands of people impacted by immigration detention, and the daily struggles of their family members. While we highlight the daily lives of people within and outside of detention centers; we aim to showcase the creative ways our people are organizing to Become a Beloved Community. Through acts of service, humility, and conversations we will create webs between individuals from all over California.
To form part of our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 as an INDIVIDUAL, follow the next steps.
- Select your package to attend our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 for FOUR days.
(Click image above to register)
- Plan a mutual aid event in your area, where we will raise $$ for commissary funds for those detained and mutual aid for the local Kern County community, which we will bring to the Pilgrimage/Encuentro ’26.
- Donate to local Kern County partner organizations, who are currently supporting people impacted by the immigration system.
*REGISTRATION CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 25TH*
* For more information please contact pilgrimage@im4humanintegrity.org *
Thank you for your interest in attending our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26: Becoming Beloved Community/Construyendo una Comunidad Amada set for October 22nd to October 25th. Our Pilgrimages are part of a statewide campaign to shut down detention centers throughout California, here we join faith leaders, community members, impacted leaders, and more, to highlight the dehumanization of immigration detention while calling for a unified and healthy society. Additionally, we aim for our Pilgrimages to serve as a stepping stone in organizing, not the final goal. Our final goal remains the end of all detention centers.
To form part of our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 as an ORGANIZATION, follow the next steps:
- Bring and Register your local members of your organization and pay their package to attend our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 for FOUR days.
(Click image above to register)
- Optional: ENGAGE BEFORE THE PILGRIMAGE/ENCUENTRO ‘26
- Plan a mutual aid event in your area, where we will raise $$ for commissary funds for those detained and mutual aid for the local Kern County community, which we will bring to the Pilgrimage/Encuentro ’26.
- Host in-person gatherings for our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 Orientations, to get to know participants before the event.
- Sponsor an individual to attend our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26, by donating here.
*REGISTRATION CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 25TH*
* For more information please contact pilgrimage@im4humanintegrity.org *
Thank you for your interest in our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26: Becoming Beloved Community/Construyendo una Comunidad Amada set for October 22nd to October 25th. We understand that everyone’s reality is different, and therefore some of our community members simply cannot attend.
However, you can still form part of our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26 by following the next steps:
- Donate to local Kern County partner organizations, who are currently supporting people impacted by the immigration system.
- Sponsor an individual to attend our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26, by donating here.
- Plan a mutual aid event in your area, where we will raise $$ for commissary funds for those detained and mutual aid for the local Kern County community, which we will bring to the Pilgrimage/Encuentro ’26.
- Uplift the demands of our Pilgrimage/Encuentro ‘26. More information to come.