We drove down to Nogales this past weekend with Prescott Vandervoet, Dan Martinez and Gigi Owen, three of Francisco’s friends/fellow academics. They were excellent tour guides and I can’t thank them enough for sharing all of their knowledge with us. For their respective research projects, all three have conducted extensive surveys with migrants at a shelter in Nogales, so they are very familiar with all the ins and outs of this thing. Prescott grew up in Nogales, so his insight in terms of the history and culture of the area was fascinating.
As we drove South, away from Tucson, the Santa Cruz River created a strange line of greenery through the desert. We were cruising along when Prescott suddenly pulled his Camry off the road. Stretching the barbed wire fence for the rest of us to crawl through, he explained that this spot is where many migrants get rides after crossing the border. By all appearances, it was unmarked, but evidently Prescott knew it by the changes in terrain.
It was hot, even in October, and I couldn’t imagine being out here for more than an hour or so. Many migrants cross in the summer when the temperatures are well above 100 degrees.
Immediately, not ten paces from the highway, we began to see clothing and backpacks strewn among the scraggly desert shrubs. Our friends explained that migrants will cast off anything they don’t need anymore when they are about to get a ride to their destination. I’m not sure why. I guess they are just tired of carrying it.
Climbing up a steep hill, I was thankful for my hiking boots, and I thought about the insufficient footwear that many migrants wear. I remembered Dr. Anderson saying that even if they have decent boots, some coyotes will make them buy cheap black shoes at the last moment, so that they won’t be spotted in the night. These ill-fitting cheapo shoes will cause crippling blisters, which can be so debilitating that the person will be left behind. I’ve seen photos of the blisters that people have by the time they reach safety, and they are pretty horrifying.
Among the refuse, which was scattered all along the wash (a dried-out riverbed), there were black plastic water jugs, jeans, jackets, and hats. Inside of one backpack, Prescott pulled out a prayer card and a pack of ephedrine pills, which migrants will take to stay awake for the journey. Unfortunately, the substance also dehydrates them. Among other sundry items, there was even a bottle of cologne and a stick of deodorant. Dan conjectured that these items indicate something about the mental state of the migrants while packing for the journey. They think, “When I get there, I’ll need to clean up,” rather than, “In order to get there, I’ll need this much water, etc.” Of course, they take provisions too, but the presence of hygiene products is telling of their faith that they’ll survive the journey.
On top of the hill, a red cloth caught my eye, and I ducked under an overhanging branch to get a closer look. My hand got caught in the branch, which was a cactus, and I had to remove it forcefully. These aren’t your typical house catci varieties. These guys are mean. I had to pick about forty spines out of my hand, each one leaving a painful red splotch. I just imagined traversing this area—in the dark—for five or six days. I think I would go crazy.
When we got back in the car, someone raised the question of why there were no Border Patrol around. In Arizona, it’s not uncommon to pass Border Patrol SUVs on the highway—they are a normal part of life. So why weren’t they here, in this wash which is clearly a common route for migrants? Prescott said, “Well, that’s when you start to realize that Border Patrol is sort of a joke.”
Our friends told us of cases where people have called in migrant crossings, but the Border Patrol wouldn’t even come for less than a handful of people. Yet we saw many patrol cars later in the day parked by the border wall in Nogales, the patrolmen just staring at the wall.
As Dr. Anderson purported earlier, it’s becoming clear that Border Patrol is not in the business of saving lives. And they aren’t even particularly concerned about catching every single migrant. They are merely creating an illusion of “protection” and “security.”
My question is, protection from what?
To be continued….
One Comment
I just wanted to let you two know that I am still following along. Find it interesting but still trying to see if there is some sort of solution to all of this. Keep up your digging and keep up the good work!