BorderLinks Information

by Patty Holley

Not really sure what to expect, I looked forward to our trip to Nogales, Sonora, with some trepidation.  The anticipation to see first hand the situation under which the people of Nogales live and work overshadowed my nervousness to leave the confines of the United States.  I have not been out of this country for several years, and not at all since September 11, 2001.  After the visit with Jen Allen of Border Action Group and the talk by Levi Faber at the U.S. Border Patrol Station, I did not know how this trip would progress.  I will admit that I experienced butterflies when our BorderLinks van crossed the U.S./Mexican border. 

Based upon the general feeling of desperation that I gained from watching the movies during class time, I was surprised by the contentment displayed by Ingracias, MaryCruz and Manuela during our lunch and visit with them in the Flores Magon colonia.  When asked point blank if they wanted to move to the United States, all three emphatically said “No.”  Holly translated Ingracias, “You have to work too hard to live in the United States.” I was under the impression that most Mexicans dreamed about crossing the border.  After spending time visiting with our three hostesses, I gained a new perspective.  They were content with their lives and their circumstances.  While these conditions would not be considered tolerable to most U.S. citizens, these women seemed to be truly happy and secure in their situation.  I now believe that those who do try to cross illegally attempt this action out of desperation, not really by choice.  Their circumstances must be truly intolerable. 

Nogales, Sonora has grown in population from around 30,000 in the late 1960s to over 350,000 today.  This growth is due in large part to the expansion of the “maquilas” in the area.  “We are Not Machines:  corporations that bring jobs must bring justice too” provided an insiders view of the situation of the maquila workers.  Making the decision to leave their home villages and migrate north, they set off in search of circumstances that would improve the quality of their life and eventually allow a journey back home.  However, that is not the reality facing maquila workers.  The wages being paid do not afford what U.S. citizens consider the basic necessities, much less any ability to save for the future.  The infrastructure of Nogales has not kept up with the need of this expanding population and the children of the area are suffering.  The article explains that the maquilas do not support the local economy by way of paying local taxes.  colonia_las_torres_04_-_15The burden of supporting this growing population falls onto the government.  The conditions include one room “houses” built out of whatever materials can be used.  Most do not have running water, and Flores Magon just received electricity within the past year.  The wage earned by most maquila workers does not provide a standard of living to enable the family to get out of the colonias.  Most make only $7 per day.  One difference that surprised me during the visit to the maquila was the number of men working in this factory.  The article gave the impression that the majority of the workers in the maquilas were female.  This was not the case at the Otis facility.  From my observation, I would have to say that the split was about 50/50.    

After reading “The Cost of Short-Term Missions” I felt a little unsure of the possible impact of an organization such as BorderLinks.  I took from that article that the money raised and spent by “short-term missionaries” could be better spent by being sent directly to those in the third-world whom the missionaries are trying to help, rather than spending the money on their own trips.  The author expresses her opinion that the missionaries are gaining more than they are helping. I did not find this to be the case at the BorderLinks facility in Nogales.  At the Casa de Misericordia, the food kitchen receives daily use.  More than 250 colonias children receive a nutritious meal daily.  Currently, a child care facility grows from the rocky hilltop and will provide care for the maquila workers’ children.  A bike repair facility provides Mexican children with the opportunity to build and then keep a bicycle of their own.  This experience teaches them “how the bike works and how to maintain it” according to Lerry Chase, a BorderLinks volunteer.  This development of responsibility and pride of ownership will help to shape the futures of these children.  Genuine affection was apparent between our three hostesses in Flores Magon and our guide, Holly Hilburn.  I was impressed at by the personal impact of BorderLinks in Nogales.

I definitely agree with the assessment of students from previous semesters regarding this importance of this trip to Nogales with relationship to the value gained from this Migration class.  I learned a great deal from this visit and have a deeper understanding of the situations that lead to those citizens who feel they have no choice but to try to migrate.  This experience has given me a more diverse view of the issues of migration and the “push/pull” factors that influence the decision to leave your homeland.     

 
 

 

Return to Migration & Culture home page     Return to Patty's HomePage