Border Crossers Research Paper

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, officially ended the war between Mexico and the United States. Even though it happened over 168 years ago, its legacy persists, because the treaty redefined the border and the border region. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexicans who suddenly found themselves living in the United States choose either Mexican citizenship, in which case they would have to relocate south of the new border, or to stay where they were and become citizens of the United States. About 80 percent—a total of seventy-five thousand Mexican people—remained in the United States (Passel, 2011). Since then, continuing economic and political difficulties in Mexico, combined with economic opportunities in the United States, have encouraged the flow of migration from Mexico to the United States in large numbers. Today, Mexican Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and the estimated Mexican American population in 2000 was 20.6 million people, the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico (Center for Immigration Studies, 2010). Most Mexican Americans entered the United States legally and have become full U.S. citizens, however, the number of illegal immigrants arriving from Mexico has been an alarming and concerning issue in the United States and especially the state of Arizona. Arizona is in a unique geopolitical location in the United States because it shares a 370-mile border with Mexico. Much of the border is open and

Have you ever wonder why they built borders? Or who built them? Or who prevents and controls illegals from crossing, and what they do to accomplish them from crossing? In the book, The Devils Highway, by Luis Alberto Urrea defines the effects the desert has to offer for the immigrant’s entrance. The Devils High Way is a measureless desert past Mexico and Sonora, which is one of the most isolated and driest deserts in the U.S. This is a desert which few

Illegal immigration at the U.S. - Mexico border is a growing problem, and the death toll is rising as more people are attempting to illegally enter the United States. As a result of an increasing number of people trying to enter into the United States illegally, the border is now being guarded by an increasing number of border patrol officers. The United States implemented different laws and operations to prevent more illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States. The ‘Operation Gatekeeper’ was introduced in 1994, which increased the number of Border Patrol officers. The most recent and controversial law was passed in Arizona, which essentially ‘allows’ officers to use racial profiling to check legal status of anyone in that

In his essay “The Country Just over the Fence,” Paul Theroux describes his trip to Nogales, Mexico. He begins his essay by illustrating the physical appearance of the wall separating Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico. He calls it “an unintentional masterpiece”. Theroux feels the wall is somewhat informal. He discovers that crossing the border into Mexico is not too difficult itself. He marvels over the appearance of the wall and also the underlying call to action it places on a person, “Do you go through, or stay home?” Theroux decided he needed to see for himself. After deciding to cross the border, he met many different people. They told him about the celebrations that used to be held between the two neighboring towns which are now divided by the wall. Theroux also met people who had attempted to cross the border illegally into America only to get sent back to Mexico. On his adventure, Theroux also learned about all the medical tourists who travel to the country for cheaper treatments, specifically dentistry. I am interested in discussing Theroux’s presentation of the his decision to cross the border, the people he met, and the medical tourism Nogales, Mexico draws in.

In 2014, ten thousands of unaccompanied men, women, and children primarily from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala traveled to the United States seeking asylum. This mass immigration was characterized by the United States government as a humanitarian crisis and gained widespread media and congressional attention around the United States. Large majority of this attention was speculation about the cause of increase in immigration and plausible U.S. responses. The United States government along with the Department of Homeland Security created specific strategies to control immigration along the “Northern Triangle” and throughout Mexico. Yet, the assumption that such strategies would effectively deter Central Americans from trying to cross the

The deaths in the border between Mexico and the United states have been increasing rapidly in the past decade. The fatalities have doubled since 1998 due to the increase of borders patrol and border militarization. The result is the redistribution of the migratory flow to more dangerous and remote areas such as southern Arizona. Even though the number of immigrants who try to cross the border has decreased, the number of fatalities continues to increase. Immigrants will not stop coming unless the situation in their countries changes and with a more protected border, they will look for more remote areas to try to cross. We are experiencing the largest numbers of fatalities in the border between Mexico and the United States. The increase

For illegal immigrants, it is very dangerous for them to come across. They are risking their lives and their families’ lives in search for work. In the deserts that they cross are robbers, murders, no water and no food. The AZ Republic (2003) estimated that in a year’s time, approximately one million people will get caught trying to sneak illegally into the U.S., and over 1000 will die. According to the USCR (2002), in July, Mexico began a campaign to amplify the immigration enforcement at the southern border. The called their campaign “Plan Sur”, and it was aimed at stopping numerous illegal immigrants from stepping foot into the U.S. After September 11, hundreds more were deployed to watch the border from illegal immigrants. Also, The INS has the border wired with high-tech gizmos and practically 10,000 agents to slash the stream

The U.S. Border Patrol started its service for our nation in 1924. Even though some changes have affected every aspect of the operations from its early days, the values, professionalism, honor, integrity, and respect helped shape the Border Patrol from the early years and they still remain the same today. Since the very beginning agents have been patrolling our borders, “Mounted watchmen of the U.S. Immigration Service patrolled the border in an effort to prevent illegal crossings as early as 1904” (Border Patrol History, web). The agent’s efforts were undertaken only when resources permitted. The inspectors were all out of El Paso, Texas, “Though they never totaled more than seventy-five, they patrolled as far west as California trying to restrict the flow of illegal Chinese immigration” (Border Patrol History, web).

It is amazing to think about the great lengths one is willing to go to take in order to provide for their family and the slight chance of a better life. The immigrants crossing the U.S border from Mexico are the ones taking the deadly journey through the fiery desert. They all have different backgrounds, family but the one thing they all share is the goal of escaping poverty to find riches in the united states “and there it was, the line dividing not just two countries, but the developed and developing worlds, wealth and poverty” (Karaim, Reed). It’s extremely important to be aware or have some type of knowledge on this sometimes sensitive and controversial subject. It’s very important to know about the U.S/Mexican border because it’s affecting our everyday life even if we’re hours away from the physical border. The government is making laws in our cities because of the affect that immigrants have on the state and country from crossing over the border illegally. For example, SB1070 was created because of the immigration problem in the state of Arizona “SB1070 was intended to scare immigrants back into Mexico” (Karaim, Reed). If immigration wasn’t a problem then this law would have never existed or been created in the first place. It also affects us by putting us in great

The hardened border paradox is the process of the US making it tougher for criminals to smuggle drugs, weapons and people into the country along with difficult procedures to get into the country legally. The result is violence among and along the border for and by immigrants and border patrol officers. Criminals are also using extreme measures to be successful, they are not far from using pay-offs, verbal and physical threats, torture and murder to remove obstacles that may hinder their illegal activity. As the laws tighten on preventing illegal entry more ways are being thought of to get contraband through. Bean quoted Stephen Flynn author of America the Vulnerable as writing “stepped-up enforcement along the Mexican border suggests that

Hence, some of the women ingest birth control pills before they start the journey anticipating the worst like rape to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Some women who are not raped, are forced or expected to give sexual favors to the coyotes as a form of payment for the crossings (218). The illegal crossing comes as a huge financial burden to attain the dreams of living a better life. Additionally, people consistently and constantly expect and prepare for the worst-case scenarios and pray that they do not succumb to it. The migrants already recognize that they will be participating in a lengthy and struggling hike in an unknown territory. However, instead of resting, their mind will be swamped dreading the unknown. The female migrants suffer from a higher mental toll and pressure as they worry about sexual abuse or being dumped in a fresh trade business on top of everything. Therefore, the journey to cross the U.S. border is mentally draining and distressing to the travelers.

As a migrant and it’s family set out on a long dangerous journey, they must be thinking will we make it across? Will we last through this hard journey or will we not even make it halfway? This journey to cross the U.S. Mexico border is unsafe for these migrants who are in search of a fresh start or a better life. Not only is it hard enough to get through a hot blazing desert but to not have water or the correct resources to get them through is dangerous. They struggle with the lack resources but also the dangerous guidance from coyotes. These migrants think they are ready and prepared but in reality some of them might not even make it to the border. These people are just so concentrated on the dream across the border but some have a rude awaking

But what is a real American? A piece of paper? If not that, than how far back do you have to be able to trace your lineage to claim the right to live in this country? Author Jason De Leon aims to answer questions like this in his book, 'The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail '. De Leon, an anthropologist and expert in the field, took it upon himself to study the paths of immigrants coming into America through the Sonoran desert region in southern Arizona over the course of the last decade.

The recent surge is all the more notable because migration from Mexico has slowed to a crawl — with the number of migrants in the U.S. increasing by just 1 percent between 2010 and 2016 to a total of 11.8 million. Also, says Orozco, the median amount that any given Mexican migrant sends hasn't changed — about $300 at a go, 14 times a year, most commonly through a money transfer company such as Western Union.” (Aizenman, 2017) The risk outweighs the danger of crossing the border so they can provide for themselves and the family members that are also depending on them due to the terrible economic and violent conditions in which they may remain. The conflict is that some in the U.S. felt this pamphlet wasn’t actually discouraging the attempts, but actually as an endorsement and a guide on how to make the crossing safely. “This is not the action of a friendly neighbor," said Representative Tom Tancredo, the Colorado Republican who chairs the Congressional Immigration Reform

In 2016, United States Customs apprehended over 400 thousand people illegally crossing the southwestern border (Johnson). To put it into perspective for Canadians on