17
May
May
Migration, Politics, Rights for Youth and Women
Rachel’s trip to the Southern Border
Our friend Rachel Dunlap went recently to the southern border and she decided to share her experience with the migration working group and any of you who might be interested in the human face of the “migrants” discussion.
I just returned from a trip to the southern border with a group of students and faculty members from Montana State University. Part of our delegation was facilitated by an AMAZING popular education & solidarity organization, BorderLinks, in Tucson. There, we worked closely with migrants in detention, witnessed Operation Streamline proceedings, and spoke with public defenders, journalists, undocumented people, and humanitarian workers.
Additionally, we visited the wall in Nogales, Sonora to understand how barriers inhibit human migration at a time where goods are readily exchanged through borders (thanks, NAFTA). We met with factory workers and learned about their experiences working in U.S.-owned factories.
After several days of immersive education on our complex immigration system, we headed to the Sonoran Desert to provide aid to migrants through No More Deaths (NMD), a humanitarian organization based out of Ajo and Tucson. Within six days of our arrival, No More Deaths volunteers found five sets of human remains in the Ajo corridor. Two days later, MSU students discovered an additional two sets of skeletal remains while mapping shifting migrant routes.
Sadly, these incidences are not uncommon in the Sonoran Desert. The Ajo sector of the border is known for being particularly deadly to migrants. In the past five months alone, over 50 bodies have been recovered by aid workers and Ajo residents. These bodies only account for a fraction of deaths—many remains are fully decomposed or scavenged by animals before being discovered. Since the implementation of Clinton-era prevention through deterrence policies, it is estimated that over 5,500 migrants have perished in the Sonoran Desert from heat related illnesses and dehydration, much like the migrants we found in the Ajo corridor. Here is a link to an interactive map created by Humane Borders that tracks information on the bodies found each year since 1994: http://www.humaneborders.info/
In an attempt to prevent death, NMD facilitators and MSU students created water and food stations on highly trafficked migrant trails in the Ajo corridor. However, our aid delivery was not without its risks considering that Border Patrol and Fish & Wildlife have become increasingly hostile towards humanitarian workers.
One of our facilitators and friends at No More Deaths, Scott Warren, is currently facing misdemeanor and felony charges for providing aid to migrants. His case is among several where humanitarian workers have been specifically targeted for their alliance with migrants.
Having worked with Scott, I must say that he is a brilliant, kind, and gentle-spirited person. It makes my stomach churn to think that such a well-intentioned and admirable human could be facing up to 20 years in prison for providing migrants with food, water, and a place to rest. Even more disturbing is that the outcome of his case could have serious consequences for all humanitarian workers.
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