This article has no intentions of making the cold-hearted Minute Men feel guilty of their discriminatory actions, but for people to know the truth of what undocumented Mexicans and Central-Americans have to go through when they cross the border illegally into the US.
The monetary costs undocumented Mexicans and Central-Americans pay to “coyotes” (experienced people smugglers) to cross the border oscillate between a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand per head depending on the “coyote”, the point you are crossing, and the size of the group; the smaller the group, the more expensive it gets.
The money is paid in cash once you meet with the “coyote” in person and has no money-back guarantee if the border-crossing operation fails. Sometimes you have to watch out for fraudulent “coyotes”; many of them are rip-off artists who pose as “coyotes” and end up taking you to a trap where they rob you at gunpoint. They very well know undocumented crossers are carrying cash with them.
But money is not the biggest cost concern for these adventurers. As humans as those dreamers are, the biggest price they pay is being away from the family they are leaving behind, and not knowing if they will live to tell the story on the other side.
There are three (among several others) popular border crossing areas for undocumented Mexicans in the west part of the country: Agua Prieta in the Mexican State of Sonora, and the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali in the Mexican state of Baja California. The time it takes from the “coyote” starting point to a “safe” finish point in the land of the free can vary from one week to two weeks. This is because the group does most of the crossing by walking. They walk most of the night and rest during daylight.
Courage, discipline, patience, determination, and hope are key ingredients you need when crossing the border illegally. The weather conditions are severe and the water scarce. In addition, you need to pay close attention to the ground you are stepping; there are many rattle-snakes whose fatal bites have cut short some of these people’s dreams.
The Border Patrol, known to Latinos as “La Migra”, is your most fearful “boogey man”. If they catch you the cost is not only deportation, but there have been many cases of abuse, discrimination, and human rights violations of Border Patrol officers against undocumented crossers. Oh yes, discrimination is a common practice here; because I can bet you anything that if those undocumented crossers were young Swedish girls, the treatment will be a lot different.
Once you made it and crossed to a safe point, then you can start living the American dream. For many this means working 16 hours a day cleaning toilets in office buildings, picking oranges in citrus farms, and mopping floors at restaurant kitchens, among other job opportunities. And all this without having to worry about your wife and kids complaining about you arriving late from work… because they are not even with you, they are in Mexico! Instead, you and your other 14 undocumented buddies get to sleep together in a 700 sq. ft. apartment. Isn’t it all about solidarity here?
