Borderlinks

BORDERLINKS FIELDTRIP

    On Wednesday February 25^th, I went to Nogales Mexico with my Migration and Culture class.  The two most interesting things I learned about was the Maquila history and the role Border Patrol plays in Nogales. 

    As a class, we went and toured the Otis Maquila.  This was not the interesting part to me; it was learning about the history that the American companies have in Mexico.  At the Otis Maquila, the new workers get $9.00 a day.  It blows my mind that this is considered a height paying job.  To most Americans this salary is unbelievable and unacceptable, even though it is above the Mexican minimum wage.  What I cannot understand is how these American companies get away with this.  In America we have standards set to make sure all workers are paid above or at minimum wage.  We also have pollution laws that prevent countries from destroying our land.  These is partly why they leave the United States and go to Mexico, where minimum wage is much lower and their laws are more relaxed.

    In our readings, “Hazardous Waste Management on the Border”, by Cyrus Read, the author says that when our environmental laws become too costly the company will turn to another country.  When they look towards a new country they are looking for lower costs, reduced regulatory requirements, and less organized communities.  This way the can dump chemicals wherever and ultimately destroy their land.

    On our trip to Nogales, I was informed on how the early Maquilas used to dump chemicals all the time.  This went on until people were getting sick.  Not only Mexicans were getting sick, but Americans as well.  What was happening was when it rained these chemicals would run down the mountains and eventually crossed the border back to the United States.  This became a problem and so the tow countries came to fix it by enforcing certain laws and regulations.  These regulations are not for all of Mexico or all of the Maquilas, just the ones that will affect Americans(Borderlinks staff member).

    The other interesting part of our trip was visiting the Border Patrol facility.  My Major is Criminal Justice and anytime police or any other law enforcement topics are brought up, I get interested.  I cannot say that I totally agree with all aspects of the Border Patrol’s action or ideas, but I think it would be an interesting job.  To me, it seems that Mexicans fight a war on a daily basis if they try to cross the border illegally.  It is hard for me to comprehend all the corruption of the governments and all the other groups involved.  I do not think that it is right for anyone to be abele to come into any country without the proper documentation.  Each country has the right to know who is going in and out of it.  However, the part I never understood until after our fieldtrip was that some Mexicans have waited 25 years to get a green card.  If all they want to do is work, and not for that much money, why can’t our government work something, out?  This way their people do not have to die trying to cross the border.  I think that like the day passes Mexicans are given to come and visit there should also be a work pass.  This way they come legally and safely.

     I did not know how the Border Patrol agents treat some Mexicans, but some stories are outrageous.  In “Justice on the line” by the Borderlinks Network, as well as in the discussion presented to us by Jen Allen from this group, I learned about a twelve-year-old girl who lived in a border town and was playing in her backyard in a tent.  Along came a Border Patrol agent and shot the girl in the leg.  He could have killed her.  This is unacceptable behavior by our agents and should not be tolerated anymore.  This agent was hardly punished and the girl, her family, and the community were all affected.   

    In Conclusion, this fieldtrip was memorable and a great experience for me.  I would like to get back to Nogales and this time go shopping.  In the past, that is what My family has done when we have gone there.  One time I went there with a friend and here Dad so she could get her braces off.  In the United States, it would have cost here a lot of money; in Mexico, it was $300.00.  I just think our lives and Mexicans lives would be better if there were realistic laws and less corruption.