Thread: Special Report: Illegal Aliens Riding The Rails

Special Report: Riding The Rails

Reported by: Polo Sandoval
Last Update: 12:37 pm

BROWNSVILLE - For some people it's a necessity, others are searching for opportunity.

Immigrants are risking life and limb by hopping on freight trains heading north. It's a trip that often takes them through the heart of Brownsville.

The first stop inside the U.S. is on D Street. It's the first opportunity for illegals who have crossed the river to hop on a train heading north.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS wanted to know what it's like to ride the rails and hide from law enforcement. It's a lot harder than most people would think.

Increased scrutiny by Mexican and U.S. Law enforcement means fewer people can hitch a ride over the Rio Grande.

George Mejorado has seen the change first hand.

"Something has happened that has no people coming from across the border coming on box cars," he says.

A single stretch of track runs in front of the home he shares with his wife Consuelo.

It's the first stretch of rails in America, where if you are in the right spot you can see the trains making their way in from Mexico into Brownsville.

At one time the neighborhood overlooked the Amigoland switching yard.

"It was a very busy area. Very busy area this railroad," says Consuelo Mejorado.

Cargo was unloaded right in front of their house, always on the move, so were people.

"They would take the freight train up north. When the train would stop there on the yard, they would run over here during the night and ask for water, sandwiches," says George.

The couple says they see fewer people now.

"Maybe they're being checked across the border before they get back into the United States," says george.

Mariano Alvarez is one of the few people still riding on the trains. CHANNEL 5 NEWS found him in the rail yard.

His journey started in 2001 in the state of Quintana Roo, he road a bus through Mexico to Matamoros and waited for his chance to cross the Rio Grande.

Once in Brownsville, he hopped on a train and traveled to Florida where he worked on farms and in restaurants. That's where he learned English.

"So I can communicate with the Chinese people, because I start working in a Chinese restaurant so I have to learn some English. Now I'm proud of that so I can talk to you in another language. I can talk to somebody else in their own country in another language," says Alvarez.

Now he's back in Brownsville looking for another train heading north so he can find work again.

"If you take the road, you take a car, there is a checkpoint of the immigration. The immigration, they check your passport, they check your visa, or papers to be here," he says.

Alvarez escapes all that on the rails. He bypasses checkpoints on the train while chasing a dream.

"My dream is to have a big farm in my country. Now I'm trying to make a chicken farm for now, but with the time, I'm going to grow up. I'm going to have some pigs, cows later, grow up vegetables," he says.

He's hoping to earn money here so he can take his dream and go home to Mexico.

Alvarez may one of the last to ride the rails to hope.

The government's concern about violence across the border is causing it to take a closer look at what and who is being hidden in the metal maze.

That means less opportunities for people like Alvarez.

The Mejorados tell CHANNEL 5 NEWS the world has come to them in a boxcar, landing on their front porch.

They've seen people from everywhere just chasing a dream, by taking a chance and riding the rails.

http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Sp ... UqYRA.cspx

Looks like we need to bring back the ole bulls to ride the rails like during the hobo days.

He's hoping to earn money here so he can take his dream and go home to Mexico.

"Just like all of them here stealing jobs from Americans!"