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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Day 3, and all is well

Today we did an immigration simulation which was so much more amazing than I expected. There were people who were the landowners in Mexico, America, and Borderland. There was someone who we "bought" food from, a western union, border patrol, and of course migrant families.

Sari, Tom, Ellie, Marge, and I were in the Valencia Family. We had to take a loan out from the banker to buy the "supplies" to start our garden. We took a loan out of 50 pesos and we had to pick beans one by one to fill the cup to the brim. Once the brim was full we could turn it in to the landowner for 100 pesos. With the money we made off the filled cups we had to buy food, pay back the debt, and possibly pay a coyote, or bus to take us to the borderland or America. So, we continued to fill the cups in the hot sun until we had enough money. We found that the easiest way to succeed was to cheat. We stole supplies, food, and filled the cups by the handfuls, and snuk across the border without the help of a coyote or a bus. Once to America my entire family got caught by the border patrol and were sent back to America. I found that I was scared by the unknown. The unknown of not knowing the whereabouts of my family. This simulation really opened my eyes to all the expenses a migrant faces, and why they end up migrating to America in the first place. I really enjoyed this experience.

We then went to the court house and watched 55+ migrants- who were chained by the ankles, and hands be deported back to their countries. It was heartbreaking. The saddest case was when a migrant was deported even though he had grown up and graduated from highschool here. America was his home. He had no connections in Mexico. While the trials were somewhat boring, this was a good thing to see. I think everyone needs to see this to see how so little thought is put into the deportation process. It is quick, and no exceptions are made. It is clear that the immigration system needs reform.

We went to the pool. All is well. The group is a little tense, but I hope that changes.

Miss and Love you all!

Caroline

4 comments:

JulieSB said...

You've seen the deportation process from two sides now, Caroline. I would think your work with Paula would make so much more sense now. Thanks for the update. How enlightening! BUT WHERE IS MY LILYBELLE????

Roberta Olson said...

You walked in their shoes.
And you witnessed our legal system in the raw.
This makes me want to see how cases are handled that come to the courts in Ramsey County. Or in Postville, IA, where hundreds were deported 2 years ago.I wonder how they are faring now. Last summer the arrestees were not allowed to work or to leave the county or return home to Guatemala. How to survive? MPUC sent $350 to the church assisting them.
THANK you so much for telling these stories!!

Lily Brown said...

Mother, this is your daugher Elizabeth. I am not dead nor have I been bitten by a rattlesnake, (YET) but all is well down here. It's a nice break from everything, today these two interesting speakers came in, and were about to eat lunch, and then around 1:30 were leaving for Nogales, Mexico. It's about to be tight.
Love you,
Tell Dad and Simon and the two others that I love them too.
Talk to you later.

JulieSB said...

Thank you, Daughter. It is lovely to "hear" your voice. I miss your humor here at home. It is raining here AGAIN. Alvie is still howling. I'm glad you're alive and kicking, my sweet. See you Saturday! xoxoxox