Border Immersion 2024

Today, we saw the end of the border. This experience made me more aware of the humanitarian crisis that many migrants are facing. People migrate for various reasons, including lack of resources, domestic violence, and threats to their lives. However, this crisis has often been unrecognized due to the presence of a negative culture that portrays them as criminals. I became aware of the presence of this culture, as I saw that significant investments have been made in surveillance technology and border expansion, but not so much into organizations that help migrants, such as Samaritan. 

During our trip, we also visited Las Milpitas Community Farm, where we heard the story of a Mexican migrant. Her story highlighted the discrimination that migrants often face in public spaces, including in healthcare services. Obtaining good quality healthcare is very important for migrants because their lack of accessibility of resources through their way to their destination countries, negatively affects their physical and mental state. One thing that has affected their mental state is their lack of documentation because it makes them constantly fear being deported. This negatively affects their ability to build relationships because they feel obligated to hide their identities. Listening to her story, also made me aware of additional struggles that migrants might  face. One of her children has autism, and has been told that it is very necessary for them to socialize. This incentivized her to be involved in her community. She has not only worked at this community farm, but also has worked at ensuring that migrants know their rights. This made me realize that the negative culture towards migrants prevent migrants from being seen as contributors.

It’s one thing to know about it and a completely different thing to see it. Today we had the opportunity to drive down to the US-Mexican border. On our way down we stoped for a water drop. Due to the Prevention Through Deterrence policy, which began in 1994, crossing the border has become more dangerous than ever. Because of this many individuals are forced to take more dangerous routes across the border. This results in longer trips, which can cause people to get lost due to border patrol interference and rugged terrain. No More Deaths, Tucson Samaritan’s and other organizations place water jugs in the desert. The water that is placed is life saving as this is one of the only sources of clean drinking water for a lot of migrants. However, when ICE agents find these water jugs, they will dump out the water and or confiscate it (but usually the latter). This practice is inhumane and disgusting but it unfortunately happens every day. 

After, we drove down to Nogales, a community that is divided by the wall. And I saw a scene that will stay will me for ever. I saw small fingers clinging to the wall. Eyes peeping through the holes. I want all of you to imagine being so close to your loved ones and still being so far from an embrace. That is the reality of so many. That is the purpose of a wall, to divide, to separate and to keep people far from each other. Razor wire and other fencing has been added in recent years to keep people from gathering. To keep people from participating in what makes us human, being together.

Later we had the opportunity to talk with Manuel. Manuel explained how the wall has slowly become bigger and been intentionally designed to keep people apart. Manuel lives in Nogales on the Mexican side, every time he crosses he must go the roundabout way to enter through the port of entry. While sharing his experience Manuel also told us the a story that made my blood boil. This is the story of Jose, a 16 year old boy on Mexican side. An ICE officer shot him 16 times on October 10th, 2012. The forensic report found that Jose had already been murdered by the 3rd shot. Jose was unarmed and not in US jurisdiction. Because of the organization of community members and not because of the law of the land, the ICE agent was taken to trial and found innocent; history has shown us time and time again, the lives of BIPOC mean nothing, we are seen as disposable as if we don’t have dreams. Are simple act of being is a seen a threat. BIPOC individuals continue to be taken from us and our aggressors are not held accountable. Again, the ICE agent was incorrectly pronounced innocent, while at the same thousands of immigrants are being criminalized for seeking a better life every day. 

The idea that we simply need immigration reform is a clear lie. It is not enough to reform immigration, it is not enough to demand more training. What is needed is the removal of the system altogether. The wall must come down and ICE must be abolished. That is what justice means and what we must do to protect our community. 

In solidarity,

Haniel and friends

Today was our second full day at the Borderlinks facility and it was spent learning the background and context for what we will be doing for the remainder of our time here. The first activity of the day walked us through the the United States’ history of citizenship, immigration, and borders. From it’s conception, the US has had shifting, but clear, stances on who is and is not an American. From the erasure and genocide of the Indigenous peoples that existed long before Europeans arrived, to enslavement of Africans, exclusion of Chinese, up to present day quotas and limits from particular countries, there have always been strict limitations on who qualifies for citizenship.

From there, we watched short docuseries by No Mas Muertes, a humanitarian organization based in southern Arizona dedicated to stepping up efforts to stop the deaths of migrants in the desert. The series, Disappeared: How Border-Enforcement Agencies Are Fueling a Missing-Persons Crisis, focuses on three different Border Patrol practices that increase the likelihood of someone dying or disappearing while crossing the border. Part 1, Deadly Apprehension Methods, documents how Border Patrol agents chase groups and individuals causing them to scatter in remote terrain, where these border crossers are more likely to become lost, injured, or to disappear. Part 2, Interference with Humanitarian Ais, details the intentional destruction of over 3,000 gallons of water left out for border crossers, implicating the US Border Patrol in the majority of this destruction. They documented how Border Patrol agents engage in the widespread vandalism of gallons of water left for border crossers and routinely interfere with other humanitarian aid efforts in rugged and remote areas of the borderlands. Part 3, Left to Die: Border Patrol, Search and Rescue, and the Crisis of Disappearance, focuses on a discriminatory and deadly emergency response system in the borderlands. The series brought to light the many challenges that migrants face when attempting to cross the US-Mexico border, and how societal beliefs and US policy have fueled the crisis.

After lunch, we attended a panel discussion about relationships to the earth and to each other at the Ethnic, Gender, and Transborder Studies Sociology  Summit. Two of the panelist spoke to issues that were very inline with the content of the immersion; Amber Ortega, a local Indigenous activist, and Blake Gentry, with Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras. Their presentations both touched on how US policy has caused great harm to indigineous peoples domestically and abroad. The summit’s overarching theme was around climate change, and the discussion spoke to these topics with that lens. Gentry’s presention included data from his research around climate migration and through interviews with migrants found that the majority of them were relocating due to the impacts of a changing climate. Unfortunately however, US policy does not include these as a legitimate reason to immigrate here.

The day was wrapped up with an incredible discussion with one of the Borderlinks staff, Wendy. She told us about her immigration experience with harrowing details about the challenges she and her family faced trying to access a better life than her home country of El Salvador. Afterwards, she taught us how to make pupusas and we shared a meal with her.

• Nicole Rooney

What a strange alarm, I think as I begin to stretch. Day three had officially began and I quickly scrambled to get my things in order. And soon enough we were off as Tucson awaited. But first we made our last stop in Phoenix AZ. We had the opportunity to learn from Rekha, an immigration attorney at Phoenix Legal Action Network (PLAN). PLAN Works in solidarity with the local immigrant community to reimagine justice in Arizona. Their work supports keeping Arizonan families together, challenging and changing anti-immigrant narratives, building community power, and democratizing legal knowledge. We had the opportunity to learn converse and ask questions all over a delicious box of donuts. 

After a delightful hour and some, we headed off to Tucson, but first a quick stop for lunch at In and Out! Before arriving at Borderlinks, we stopped by the Tucson Museum of Art, I was able to a see so many wonderful artists and paintings! Soon after we arrived at Border-links, where we will be staying for the rest of the week! We were welcomed by Ren, our delegation leader. They gave us a tour of the place, showed us to our room and just like that our educational journey began (officially). For the rest of the afternoon we participated in workshops, walked with a person on their journey to migrate to the U.S. and it quickly became apparent that certain people had an easier time getting to the United States than others. 

When I look at the immigration system, I see it’s not broken. It’s working exactly as it’s supposed to work. Favoring some groups of people and turning its back on others. It’s not a bug; it’s a feature. The people who have money or fit a certain profile, white, are in the fast lane. But the rest are being overlooked, and just have to hope that they’re the lucky ones.

As the day wrapped up, we then had a lovely reflection led by Benji. We than had a fantastic dinner of mash potatoes, with steamed vegetables, salad and rice. We finished our night at The Red Light Lounge.

Today was filled with travel, learning, connecting, reflecting, feeling, and solidarity. 

– Haniel and the Border immersion team! 

On our second, and last full day, in Phoenix, we visited the Heard Museum, Phoenix Indian School Visiting Center, and helped with the dinner service at Andre House one last time.

The museum was full of beautiful indigenous art; from what I saw most of the art was from American southwestern tribes. We all split off into little groups to walk about the exhibits. From baskets to traditional clothing to fences, everywhere I turned there was something new to look at and read about!  I wanted to make sure that I took my time, but this ended up backfiring a little because I was not able to look at all of the exhibits. 

After I got done with the first exhibit, I rushed to get to the Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories. This proved to be such a powerful yet emotional experience. I was met with the sound of a train upon entering with explanations/ quotations over pictures of indigenous people being (forcefully) transported to boarding schools. This was immediately followed by a vintage looking barber’s chair covered in hair with sounds of scissors. This explained how when indigenous people (forcefully) arrived to boarding schools they were ripped of their regalia, their hair was cut off, and they were either put into a military suit or a Victorian dress, they were also given a new religion, as well as being told that they could no longer use their native languages. 

Unfortunately, I had to rush through this exhibit that entails such an erased and important part of American history. Towards the end however, there was more of an emphasis on indigenous resilience with the start of “Indian Clubs” in high schools and how people are now aware and straight to heal from generational trauma. 

While I did have knowledge about this history, seeing it presented the way that it was today provided an emotional aspect. Seeing the faces of indigenous people lined up in front of the different boarding schools and little indigenous children lined up for similar pictures made me feel so much grief for the people who experienced their own erasure, but also for the people who are currently experiencing generational trauma. 

While at the visiting center, we got a wonderful tour by a woman named Elena. In the historical buildings she talked about how the school was run and how it was like a military base. The indigenous people there were given processed food which proved to be damaging to the health of the people while being there but also leading to high rates of diabetes within currently communities. This was to the point where chairs needed to be extended in the theater where plays were put on and classes were picked. Speaking of the theater, the outside was made of bricks some of which have been engraved with the names of people who (forcefully) attended that school. Elena explained that there’s two stories for the names. One being that when anyone was in trouble, they would have to stand facing the building and eventually after being in trouble for so long, they would engrave their own names on the bricks. Two, people came back and engraved their names as a memento of their presence and wanting to be remembered after the boarding school was closed.

From this tour, I learned that there was a fear (obviously) within a lot of indigenous people to the point where a lot of them changed their last names to more Hispanic names. This led to a lot of people thinking that they were Hispanic only to discover that their grandparents/ ancestors when to the boarding school. A lot of people are discovering their indigenous roots now because their family members do not talk about their boarding school experiences. I can’t even begin to image how emotional this discover is for those people! 

These were such intense and educational experiences! 

– Jessica Arevalo Ontiveros