Friday

It’s Friday already.

I remember the first time I came to the migrant center it was also a Friday. I haven’t really worked on Fridays for a while. I usually take the Monday morning shift at the center but I am covering for another volunteer who is taking a trip to San Diego for a conference on border issues. It’s quite interesting the stark differences in the center from even a couple weeks ago. Today the center’s pretty much empty, lonely, and hot.

There are still people trying to cross, but many of them are being repatriated differently during the summer so few are arriving at the center. To be honest, I have no clue what is going on.

Some say that there is a new repatriation program going on that tends to be implemented in the summers. Or that people are getting streamlined (in simple terms it’s a strategy that began on January 14, 2010, that basically takes people through a formal deportation and criminalizes migrants for crossing). Others say that Border Patrol has extra funding so they are trying to use up those funds by flying people to Mexico City when caught, part of a Lateral Repatriation Program, as opposed to simply releasing them at the closest port of entry where they crossed, in theory this is supposed to detain people from crossing again by shipping them far away from the border in which they attempted to cross.

In reality, this does not seem to deter people in anyway. A few weeks ago the migrant center was filled with people. And slowly, the numbers began to decrease. At hindsight, one might believe their strategies are working, but in talking to people, this isn't the case.  Most of the migrants seem well informed and aware of what is happening politically in Arizona and they just simply mentioned that they would maybe wait, but inevitably, regardless they would try again.

You see, people don’t cross because its easy. They cross because they feel they have no other option. Some of their situations are so difficult that one can’t really blame them for seeking their own solutions. If anything, I am humbled by their courage and perseverance to keep on going, despite the many obstacles and hardships they face.

Today there was a pregnant girl and two men at the center. I always feel for the women.  My own bias, I guess.  Their strength makes me realize just how weak I really am.  The girl was looking for help purchasing some prenatal pills.  When I was pregnant all I wanted to do was to protect my baby.  To see her, struggling, trying to cross this ridiculous border, trying to protect her baby, and simply reunite with her husband, it breaks my heart.  Families should not be torn apart this way. 

So anyway.  It's friday.  I get to go home. 
               For the people at the center, they get to wait.  and wait.