Lorraine Rivera reports
Volunteers at the border help 300 deportees a day, many of whom plan to illegally return

June 6, 2008

Near the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Sonora dozens of illegal immigrants gather who have just been deported to Mexico. Moments after they step off the bus a woman named Daisy approaches them, she tells me she can give them free food, water, and information.

They look at her with a skeptical face; the majority follows her. The others walk away in to the path of coyotes or smugglers who are looking to take them back across the border.

Underneath the orange tents are free food, water and information on where to make phone calls or where to find a place to rest for the night.

Daisy is a student in Mexico; she's a volunteer who says she can't bear to see the people suffer, "It's so sad, they get here they don't know anyone, they haven't eaten in days and they don't have any money."

They serve, soup, bread and have medical supplies and clothes for people who need it. Daisy sits and hears their stories; she points them to shuttles that will give them a discount price so they can get back home.

Today, there are two men, both who have lived illegally in the United States for years, both are fluent in English.

Juan has lived in San Luis, Ariz for 30 years, but he committed crimes and spent time in prison, he was released and deported to Mexico, a place he's never really known, he tells us though he won't cross illegally again, "No, because I don't want to go back to prison, I'm too old for that," he said.

His friend Antonio also got released from prison and deported, he lived in Mesa, Ariz for 14 years; he says he will return illegally, "Yeah, I'll go back to Phoenix because my kids are there, my mom and my brothers; everybody lives over there."

Then there are brothers, both Mexican nationals who have lived in New York City working construction, they are fluent in English. Recently they traveled back to Toluca to see their ailing father.

They spent time with him before returning to the U.S., they paid a smuggler $4,000, "They said we were going to walk for two hours, but it was three days." Border Patrol agents caught them near Sasabe and deported them thru Nogales, a city they have never been too. The brothers want to return to New York to be with their wives and children, "We don't have any more money, it's sad I can't be with my family, we came for a better life, now we'll go back and figure out what to do next."

http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=8444704