History & Mission

In 1986, a new organization was created to serve the asylum seekers and immigrants impacted by the passage of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Formed through a collaboration of the Diocese of El Paso and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the organization was named Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services. DMRS became an independent non-profit in 1990.

After years of service and advocacy, we unveiled a new name in 2023: Estrella del Paso, a ministry of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso. Despite our name change, our work remains the same. We proudly continue to work as an incorporated non-profit ministry of the Diocese of El Paso, operating as the largest provider of free immigration legal services in West Texas and New Mexico.

View our 2023 Annual Report: 2023 Annual Report