The Devil's Highway Sparknotes

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Recommended: Mexican immigration to America

Politics create a perception that illegal immigrants are all horrid human beings and deserve to be deported back to Mexico. There are a number of Mexicans who look to cross the border to the United States because they are in trouble and they must do whatever they can in order to survive. Regardless of this, citizens of the United States immediately ask for the heads of illegal immigrants and jump to conclusions that these people are crude and selfish although they are just trying to support their families. Luis Alberto Urrea tackles this problem regarding Mexicans attempting to cross the border in his book, The Devil 's Highway: A True Story. Urrea retells the story of the Yuma 14, also known as the Welton 26, and their attempt to cross the …show more content…

He wants his readers to know that Mexico 's economy is nowhere near the level of the United States and this causes their people to go through such torture just to cross the border. Throughout his book, Urrea focuses a considerable amount of time on the gangs that offer their services to Mexicans looking to cross the border. These guides or "coyotes" that guide these people, betrays them whenever the going gets tough or border patrol is seen. Betrayal is a common theme that is seen throughout The Devil 's Highway and it is a theme that Urrea tries to entrench in the heads of his readers. Another main point that is focused on in the book is the dangers of Arizona and the despair that comes with the deserts there. The heat of the deserts and the toll it takes on those who cross it frequently appears throughout The Devil 's Highway. All these main points that Urrea discusses throughout his story are all similar. In the end, all of these main points are used to describe how difficult the Mexicans have it. From the difficult economy in Mexico to being easily exploited for money to risk their life in the hot, deadly desert of Arizona, Urrea attempts to cement the point that these illegal immigrants are humans as well. He wants his readers to know that these Mexicans are just trying to survive economically like everyone else does in the

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