Migrantes

This afternoon, I took a nap beneath a viaduct. We waited in the shade until busloads of deported migrants arrived from the U.S. side. Ultimately, we handed out tortas (sandwiches) and agua (in our case, orange-flavored water) to just under 100 people once the crowd started coming through.

One family consisted of a 14 year-old boy, a 19 year-old girl and mom who was 50. They had been hiking in the desert for a day and a night. Two sisters we met at Grupo Beta this morning hiked for 4 days and had been in their coyotes car near Pheonix for ten minutes when they were caught and deported. Originally from Chiapas (the Mexican state next door to Guatemala), they had made quite a journey. When asked whether they had been assaulted during their travels, they said no, but that one night they heard women screaming nearby. What most likely happened was that a desert gang that preys on migrants attacked a group of travelers and was raping the women.

I’m leaning towards working at one of the border migrant aid sites rather than at a desert camp. With No More Deaths, I would be able to bandage feet and treat minor wounds, as well.

At the moment, we’re on our way to the bus station to observe the goings-on there. When migrants are dumped at the border, they have no food, no water and no where to go. Some can catch a taxi ride for $15 to a coyote if they plan to lie low and attempt to reenter in a couple weeks or months. Others, like the sisters, discovered the serious dangers that await migrants in the desert and have decided to go back home.

May they all have safe travel.
Ash