Thread: Mexican Migrants Heading North

Migrants Heading North
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, Associated Press Writer
Tue May 23, 3:48 AM

TIJUANA, Mexico - Before Israel Morales boarded a plane from Mexico City to Tijuana, his mother slipped a tiny plastic bag containing a coin, lentils and an image of Christ into his pocket, so he wouldn't be without money, food or faith.

Then his 10-year-old son wrapped his arms around him and wouldn't let go.

"The hardest part is leaving your family behind, hearing your child cry as you walk away, even if you're leaving so he can have a better life," said Morales, a truck driver who was planning to jump the metal fence dividing Mexico and the United States.

"For children this is hard to understand."

Migration to the United States has long been a fact of life for many Mexicans. In some villages, mariachi music and feasts are customary sendoffs for those heading north. But tighter border security is now keeping many migrants away from their homes for longer stretches, making their last moments in Mexico more somber occasions.

Many spend time with loved ones, reassuring their children that better days will come. Others go to churches and shrines, praying for a safe journey. Then there are the young boys who parade through town saying goodbye to neighbors they might not see again for years.

Eduardo Orozco went to Tijuana's cathedral to ask for divine protection.

"I asked God to take care of me and to protect me from snake bites," Orozco said, his backpack stuffed with water, canned tuna, crackers and chocolate. "I asked him to help me because this time I'll have to make it."

Orozco, a 30-year-old construction worker, was preparing for his third attempt to sneak into the United States through a hilly section of California. He said a Los Angeles contractor had promised him a job paying $300 a week, twice what he earned in Guadalajara.

With about half of Mexico's 107 million people living in poverty, the promise of better paying jobs has lured millions of migrants north _ so many that about 10 percent of Mexico's population now lives in the United States.

Earlier this month, President Bush unveiled a plan to bolster security along the border by sending 6,000 National Guard troops to patrol the area. Congress is also debating the most far-reaching immigration bill in two decades. It would strengthen border enforcement, create a guest worker program and eventually offer the possibility of citizenship to many of the millions of men and women already in the country illegally.

Because of these measures, many migrants are making fewer passages back and forth between the United States and Mexico. When they do undertake the sometimes dangerous journey, some count on divine protection, stopping at churches, makeshift altars and the tombs of saints on the way. The Roman Catholic Church offers a half-dozen patron saints for travelers, but many Mexican migrants turn to someone not recognized by the church: "Juan Soldado," or Soldier John.

Soldado was a soldier who was falsely accused of the rape and murder of a girl and executed by a Mexican firing squad in February 1938. He is worshipped as a man wronged by those in power.

Migrants have filled the wall of a small chapel built around his tomb in Tijuana with flowers, locks of hair, marble plaques and handwritten notes thanking him.

In one note written in pencil and taped to a wall, a woman credits him for helping her get to the United States: "I thank you Juan Soldado for the miracle of having crossed safely with my children to Los Angeles and for now having my papers and being able to come see you."

Another man left a copy of his tourist visa, which he credited Soldado with helping him get. One woman offered a foot-long braid, nailed to the wall with a note thanking him for helping her brother obtain his freedom after being accused of smuggling migrants.

Migrants make the trip knowing that death _ or even a new life in the United States _ may keep them from returning. That was on Morales' mind as he left his son behind: "I wanted to leave him with good memories because you never know when or if you'll come back."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

oh boo hoo...maybe they should stay in their own country to begin with and they wouldn't have seperation problems.

Please pass the tissues! One of our dogs suffers from separation anxiety too! We left her yesterday afternoon to romp and play with the neighbor's dog but she's such an anxious pup that she stood at the fence and whined for her family and the comforts of home.

We had to deport her back across the border. The neighbor dog was sad too as he was ready to romp. All he ended up with was a rawhide chew courtesy of us.

So we understand these family situations very well and empathize!

NOT!

They were willing to leave them comming so it's hard to have much compassion when they have to leave them for breaking the law.

If these people would work as hard to stay in their own country and change their own government, get rid of corrupt leaders,as they do in trying to enter our country illegally to break out laws and take our jobs and send that money home to keep their corrupt economy floating, it would be imazing what they could do! I am sorry after seeing videos, seeing how they march in our streets waving their flags, I have lost my compassion to feel sorry for their plight. It just shows me it is far easier for them to run for the border then to stay and work things out. I am sick and tired of them having babies here then claiming."you can't tear families apart" give me a break, i would say if they can walk off and leave their children, husbands, and wives they have no compassion for their own families, they have no passion to take a stand for whatis right. Itis far easier for them to rape and steal our country's resouces, makes no difference to them if the legal citizens of the US are working to pay their health care, thier food stamps and welfare and now social security they are not entitleled to as they are non citizens, they don't give a hoot about us it is all about them!


Please Amigo, take your "US" citizen babies, your wives, and yourself and go to your home, have some honor, self-respect, or more importantly just have the balls, to fight for your rights in your own country! Have enough respect to quit standing on our streets and grabbing your "manhood" and making your obscene jestures to the people who are Legally protesting your present illegal status. Citizens of this country of whom which ,you are much more beholden to then they are to you! For God's sake learn how to be "men" in your own country.

The fact of the matter is - never throughout all of history have those who are INVADING our border been capable of producing anything of value for their own nation or anyone else in the world for that matter.

The second fact of the matter is - why work so hard at modifying a country when so many of the citizens of the United States of America are willing to sit back and let an illegal immigrant take it from them?

The third fact of the matter is - they aren't interested in the United States of America. They are only interested in what they can TAKE through rape, plunder and pillage. And rape, plunder and pillage until it's ALL GONE - they will.

There is no beating around the Bush (pun intended) on the issue.

It's time for all good men to come to the aid of their Country....bring all soldiers home from all over the world....to fight to keep our Country secure!