Thread: Newsweek: A Human Smuggler on crossing the border

A Human Smuggler on Immigration Reform
A smuggler of illegal immigrants from Mexico on the ins and outs of crossing the border.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Monica Campbell
Newsweek
Updated: 3:32 p.m. ET July 3, 2007
July 3, 2007 - When the immigration bill died in the Senate last week, hopes of seeing any meaningful immigration reform this year were mostly dashed. Yet the U.S.-Mexico border remains as busy and chaotic as ever. Though Customs and Border Protection figures show a decrease in the number of illegal immigrants apprehended in the last year, that influx continues to overwhelm authorities. To get a closer perspective on the movement of people across the border, NEWSWEEK’s Monica Campbell spoke to a human smuggler, or coyote, in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, just across the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas. The smuggler, 23, requested anonymity to protect himself and his business. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: How did you get into the human-smuggling business?
Coyote: Our family was pretty small. There were only seven of us altogether. I finished high school when I was 20 years old and that was it, no more studying for me. My mom has always sold second-hand clothing that she brings over from the United States, and my dad buys and sells used cars. After I finished high school, a friend told me about a guy who gathered people together who wanted to head to the other side. So I became the guy who picked up the group from a house here in Nuevo Laredo and took them across the border. If there's nobody to pick up, then we go to the bus terminal and people find us. Normally, they just go into a restaurant and start asking around.

How do you and the migrants negotiate the border crossing?
Usually, there's some relative in the States they can call who'll promise to have our cash upfront and ready once we drop them off on the other side.

What's the going smuggling rate today?
We charge $1,800 per person. That's standard now. It was $1,600 not too long ago, in 2004 and 2005. That money is split up between about seven or eight of us who work together. I earn $300 from each trip and make a trip every three days. We usually take across a group of eight or nine people. They used to be much bigger. When I started this three years ago, there'd be 15 or 20 people crossing in one group. I made $700 for each trip back then. It's changed now that the United States is adding more security. Fewer people are coming up to us now.

Who's crossing?
People from all over Mexico and then Latin America. Lots of Central Americans, Brazilians, people from Asia.


After the group of migrants is gathered and the payment issues are settled, what's next?
We round everybody up, take them to the river and start walking along it. I look for the smooth parts, where the river is calm, and we cross on small boats, rubber boats. We'll go to a safe house once we're on the other side. Then we'll load people up in vans, usually somewhere towards Victoria, [Texas]. Sometimes we'll head straight to San Antonio, Houston or Dallas.

How does tighter security along the border affect your work?
It's getting riskier, a lot riskier. We're always looking for the cameras and where's a good spot to cross. We get caught and turned back more than ever before. So we just have to keep trying again and again. I've been caught three or four times on the U.S. side.

What about the Mexican drug cartels and reports that they're now muscling in on human smuggling?
It's getting bad. There's a lot of pressure on us here to work with these other groups. We can't really go at it alone anymore.

Do you understand why many Americans want a more secure U.S. border?
Sure. I can see why people want to feel safe against terrorists. But we'll also keep doing our job of getting people across.

What do you think about the immigration debate in the United States?
They should give people visas to work. People want to work, not harm. They're tired of their situation in Mexico. It's screwed up here. I don't see anybody winning from any of this. People will keep crossing or walking across the desert and dying. As long as they want to earn more or be with their families up in the United States, they'll keep going.

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Our family was pretty small. There were only seven of us altogether

SEVEN is a small Mexican family...thats 5 kids. Doesn't seem small to me. How many responsible American families do you know with 5 kids?

Usually, there's some relative in the States they can call who'll promise to have our cash upfront and ready once we drop them off on the other side.

Aided and abetted by their relatives. One gets in and the rest of the family comes...that would be at least SIX in the second wave which is small by Mexican family standards.

It's changed now that the United States is adding more security. Fewer people are coming up to us now.

There you have it President Bush and Secretary Chertoff...enforcement works.

I've been caught three or four times on the U.S. side.

And this dirtball is still in business??? Why isn't he in prison with his muchachos?

As long as they want to earn more or be with their families up in the United States, they'll keep going.

That is why deportation is the only answer and solution.