It is one of the truly emblematic journeys of our times, although it never makes it into the travel pages of any newspaper: the million or more people who make the trip each year are poor Latin Americans, trekking north from Mexico, albeit illegally, in search of a better life in the United States.
The trail begins in cities, towns and villages throughout the region where many residents get by on a few dollars a day, and winds its way north to staging areas just short of the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) U.S. border.
Join U.S. immigration correspondent Tim Gaynor, U.S-Mexico border correspondent Robin Emmott and photographer Tomas Bravo as they follow in their footsteps, crashing in flop-house hotels and heading on out across the Sonora Desert on foot.
Their journey starts in Altar, the dusty and chaotic clearing house in Mexicos northern Sonora state, through which tens of thousands of migrants pass each month en route for the porous U.S. border, many with little more than a day sack full of tortillas and a gallon jug of water.
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4 comments so far
Thank you for showing how the other side lives! Ive encountered a documentary called “Walking the Line” at imoovie, which shows a group of Americans who volunteer to monitor the nations borders and do anything possible to stiop illegal immigrants from entering the country. Don’t folks know that they too want a piece of that American Dream?
- Posted by RubiHow fascinating! A pair of gringos get down in the dirt to experience life through the eyes of illegal immigrants. What next? Will you go undercover and sell crack cocaine and describe in minute detail the poverty, filth or “crushing boredom” while waiting for the next prospective client? Maybe you have girlfriends who would like to go undercover as prostitutes? Didn’t think so.
- Posted by HammerI hope that this article will be complete, detailing how as our intrepid voyagers go North to the US, entire towns have been turned into ghettos by these “migrants”. How US jails are filled to overflowing with rapists, murderers and other assorted felons who “went North for the American Dream”. There is a structured immigration system in place that allows for regulated numbers of immigrants to enter the US. Anyone who jumps this queue is a criminal, quite simple. Journalists who so it are criminals too, although I suspect they have visas in their rucksacks, “just in case”.
To get a better flavor for how this wave of immigrants is settling into the US, search for La Voz de Aztlan… take a look at this:
http://www.aztlan.net/anchor_baby_power. htm
Now, why don’t these people with their boundless energy turn around and change Mexico? Our college educated boys who want to help can go too, help overthrow the corrupt Mexican politicos and make a shining new dawn for the country, sort of a new Spanish Civil War?
The same thing is happening to Europe, millions of Africans and Asians are flooding the place, setting up enclaves, robbing taxpayers blind while our youth is being educated to be “tolerant, integrate” and not even dream of protecting the living space we need to survive as a civilized Western people.
This will not end happily with all the races singing in a Coca Cola commercial.
As for our reporters….I’d be more impressed if they covered and participated in a Raid Gauloises type event.
What a fascinating read, it captures the human face of emirgation very well …
- Posted by JohnAs one who lives along the border and has watched this for years - and cleaned up the trash left behind… I wonder just how authentic this trio will be.
Will they trash the desert like the illegals do?
Will they leave their bowel movements for people like me to have to clean up?
Will they cut fences?
Will they let livestock out?
Will they start a wildfire and endanger the lives of many?
Will they participate in the rape of a female illegal also crossing?
If they want to have an authentic experience, then they’ll be doing the above.
- Posted by Cactus