There’s about 11.7 million immigrants living in the United States illegally. But more than 6,000 didn’t make it through the dangerous journey from Mexico to the United States. Migrants wish to come to the US for jobs, money, family, a better life, etc. But what some don’t realize is how dangerous the trip really is. These illegal immigrants are risking their lives by facing many dangerous obstacles. Some of these obstacles include: rape, robbery, starvation, hunger, death, accidents, etc. Not only do they have to be cautious of what people on the journey can do to them, but also what they can accidently do to themselves. If they are taking the train route to the United States they have to make sure to hold on and not get thrown off and sucked under the wheels, because they can lose body parts or their entire life. Mexico needs to figure out a way to get immigrants to the United States safer. One solution to help decrease the amount of danger on the trip, is to provide a much safer transportation system for the immigrants. In Enrique’s Journey, Enrique had to witness many of these incidents occur to others. He has seen many women get raped, people get things stolen from them, people fall off the train …show more content…
He’s been hurt, caught, sent back, etc. If this transportation system was created before Enrique took his first journey to the United States, he probably could’ve made it there in one short trip with no major problems. Enrique got a smuggler for himself and for the rest of his family to come to the US. Smugglers can’t always be trusted, and can take your money and kill you instead of protecting you and taking you to your family. Enrique had to sleep outside in the bushes with other migrants trying to not get caught by la Migra. Enrique was caught and sent back multiple times. If there was a transportation system Enrique could’ve easily made it in one try in a safe bus, not the
In both the movie, La Misma Luna, and the newspaper series, Enrique’s Journey, there is a demonstration of abuse of power. Judicial policemen, immigration officers, and bandits all take part in hurting migrants in various ways. If a migrant is lucky enough to make it across the borders, then they will most certainly have physical and emotional scars. They also have their own story of survival to tell. One of the main messages sent relating to this topic is immigration officers, judicial policemen, and bandits abuse their authority by beating, robbing, and raping vulnerable immigrants in fragile situations.
Enrique grows up pretty much an orphan living with his grandmother while his sister is put in a nice caring home. He is constantly being switched around from family to family and due to his drug problems, he is finally kicked out by his aunt for stealing her jewelry to pay off a dealer. The rich get richer and the poor stay the same is something that Enrique came to understand. He knew that in order to get out of this corrupt society he ...
Schlosser talks about how meatpacking is the most dangerous job in the United States. He says “The injury rate in a slaughterhouse is about three times higher than the rate of a typical American Factory” (172). Every year more than forty thousand meat packing workers get injured (beyond first aid) in the US alone. That is a lot of people getting hurt for just doing their jobs. Some of the injuries that get reported are fatal, but “thousands of additional injuries and illnesses most likely go unrecorded” (172). The workers who apply for such jobs tend to be illegal immigrants who try to earn some money to send back home to their families. Because these immigrants do not “exist”, there would be no problem if one might get into an accident and die.
Therefore, instead of focusing on increased border security, deportation, and the hunting down of illegals, wasted recourses could go to other ways for possible solutions to this problem. Still, the perhaps millions of dollars spent on all of these activities could be redirected in a more positive manner. Nevertheless, these funds could be used to help Mexico’s, economy, job opportunities, and health care. Furthermore, if more support was given in these areas there would be less reason for immigrants to cross the boarder illegally. Another possible solution would be to implement or change a policy regarding immigration and make it and overall easier process. Moreover, it is hard to say what those would do if they were in these immigrants situations. Often, we are too stuck in one view point, not looking from the perception of
Moreover, the trip in the train gives an example of the loss of the humanity. In the train, a
The push-and-pull factors in Enrique’s yearn for the U.S not only allows him to rediscover himself as an individual in a world of uncertainty, it also eliminates his constant fear of failing as a promising human being; in addition exhibits the undying hope of a desperate man found in hopeful migrants. In Sonia Nazario’s “Enrique’s Journey,” his mother’s trip streamed “emptiness” into the heart of a once comfortable child and left him to “struggle” to hold memories they shared. Enrique’s life after Lourdes’ departure triggered the traumatizing demise of his identity. He threw this broken identity away while facing many obstacles, nevertheless each endea...
Like many other migrants, Enrique had many troubles with his mother too. When Enrique first arrived to the U.S., Enrique and his mother’s relationship was going well. Lourdes was proud of Enrique for finding a job as a painter and sander. Lourdes would always brag to her friends that Enrique is her son and that he’s big and a miracle. However, Enrique starts going to a pool hall without asking Lourdes’s permission which makes her upset. Enrique often yells obscenities and mother tells him not to, but Enrique tells Lourdes that nobody can change who he is.
I have heard fascinating stories about vans and cars full of Mexicans being pulled over, taken to the border police and deported back to their residence as they attempt to cross the border. Some of them are lucky enough to make it through their journey while some lose their lives. Every year many people try to enter illegally in the United States to get success in their life, to get a better job and sometimes to get united with their families. There is no doubt that the journey of crossing the border is very dangerous and sometimes life threatening. It is understandable when adults are trying to risk their life in search of a better life but when minors take the same attempt and risk their life what are we supposed to do as parents or family? In the film Which Way Home director Rebecca Cammisa shows the journey that many unaccompanied minors attempt with the hope of migrating across the Mexican-U.S. border for a better life is actually a potentially fatal passage. “Each year, the Border Patrol apprehends 100,000 children try to enter the US” (Which Way Home). By showing different consequences of crossing border Cammisa tries to create awareness among parents and even in the children. Parents should not give permission to their children to cross the border and children who have no parents also should not try to cross it. Through her documentary, she tries to educate teenagers and their parents about the risks and dangers of crossing the border illegally. In the documentary Cammisa shows that there are people who know about the possible consequences, but still ignore it, and at the end they regret of taking such an attempt. Through her documentary Cammisa also warns them not to make such decisions because at the end they are not...
Starting a new life is very problematic for many Central American children that migrate to the United States. There are a lot of difficulties involved in the process to migrate to the United States including the journey to get there. An extremely common way to migrate is by train. Migrants usually take away many life lessons from the journey to the United States such as the generosity and assistance from fellow Central Americans. On the other hand there’s extreme hardships. For example, the many robberies, and gang violence a migrant can face on the journey to the United States. During the trip, migrants learn that they usually cannot take things for granted, especially how scarce food, supplies, and other necessities are.
The narrative Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario, tells the true story of a young boy’s dangerous path from Mexico to the United States, in hopes of reuniting with his mother. Along Enrique’s trek he sacrifices his safety, well-being, and even the possibility of his life to be with his mother once again. Lourdes, Enrique’s mother, gives up the ultimate sacrifice of missing her children grow up, causing their love and affection they once held for their dear mother to dwindle, all of which so she can provide money and security for her family. Sacrifice is a key theme in this narrative because without the difficult decisions made and the loss the characters so tragically endured, then they would not have been able to reap the reward of a reunited,
Medina states, “Gang rule is absolute and young people are extremely vulnerable to forced recruitment into the gangs. Adolescents are continually intimidated and subjected to violence, pressurised into joining the gangs or working for them as drug pushers or in other roles” (Medina). This fear dynamic is used in order to promote corruption within the system of migration. The migrants that decide to escape are forced to encounter constant dangers while migrating. Medina states, “Fear of deportation is largely behind the failure to report crimes; in order to get their destination, most migrants will continue on their journey as soon as possible, leaving the experiences behind them, shrouded in silence” (Medina). This silence thrives on the system of corruption which implicates Mexico’s passivity to protect migrants from violence. Overall, this represents enduring the consequences the migrants face and the perseverance to
Victims usually arrive to their destination by shipping containers to be out of sight; a method that is very easy and profitable for the traffickers. Most authorities are not suitably trained to identify these types of crimes, therefore, the perpetrators are able to transport the victims without being suspected of any illegal trade of humans. Transportation alone can cause short-term health effects on the victims inside the shipping containers; there is a limited supply of oxygen, food or water, and rest to sustain them. Often times, people who arrive at the destinations are malnourished and dehydrated which result in poor health and a lowered survival rate in this illegal industry which is roughly around seven years after entering the industry. Ultimately, this can lead to the victim being thrown away or murdered because they are not useful in contributing to the forced labored services or making a profit in prostitution. The government is creating laws to make shipping human cargo, or forced immigration, illegal by using tamper proof seals or by having security cameras in the loading docks to pick up any suspicious activities with the vessels. Shipping containers, while a great solution for the quick shipment of merchandises, have led and supported multitudinous crimes being committed including human
Colombian citizens experience and live through the good and bad things Pablo does, when Americans only hear about the negative actions Escobar commits. Hearing versus seeing plays a vital role in the difference of perspectives between the Colombians and Americans. In the United States, only hearing about Pablo Escobar leads to confusion among different people as “For what, exactly, isn’t easy to understand without knowing Colombia and his life and times” (15). American civilians not knowing personally know why they hate Escobar reflects poorly on the United States. The media does not inform the general public about all the great and generous things Escobar accomplishes for Colombia, and only publishes the stories of his cartel killing innocent people. From the perspective of Colombians, they only know Escobar as a hero of Colombia as “At his death, Pablo was mourned by thousands. Crowds rioted when his casket was carried into the streets of his home city of Medellin” (15). Colombians create a national mourning day for Escobar after his death, when the Americans celebrate their success in killing him. This represents the difference in opinion of Escobar between the two countries. Pablo made promises and he conqueres them; he said he would end poverty as he provided education and housing to the poorest people inside of Colombia. On the other hand,
Even though it is prohibited to ride freight trains such as “The Beast,” thousands of Central American children and adults take them to make the 1,450-mile trip journey to the United States but first crossing the Guatemala-Mexico border. According to the documentary
The United States and Mexican border has been the focus of an abundant amount of controversy the past decade in the States. The border wall, or border fence, is one of several barriers preventing illegal Mexican and South American immigrants from entering the United States. However, as statistics prove, immigration and drug smuggling has been on the rise the past few decades and our “three prong approach” is not confronting the escalating issue at hand. America’s border security is not resilient enough to deter these illegal immigrants and drug smugglers; our border wall must be fortified immediately.