Return to Vinay's Home Page        My experience of the Border Links Trip to Mexico:

 

     

Mexico, our neighbors to the south, has been the focus of a lot of continuing controversy for the past few decades. Controversy has been over the illegal immigrants crossing the border including the Border Patrol as well as the vigilante groups who are trying to enforce the laws themselves, and the numerous maquiladoras in Mexico. Overall I found the trip to be very educational and interesting. The three points that I would like to speak about in this paper are, Border Patrol, the colonio and the maquiladora.

The first stop on our class trip was at the Border Patrol, which is the largest station in that region.  An agent for the Border Patrol gave a presentation as to their responsibilities, regions they patrol and the means and technology used to deter individuals from crossing the border illegally.  There are over 500 agents working out of that station alone.  The agent informed the class of the dangers they come across not only by the immigrants but the weather as well.  The agents’ presentation gave the class another perspective, since the class has been used to the immigrants’ perspective only.  I can’t understand why the class and the Border Links staff give the indication that the Border Patrol agents are not fair and do not treat the immigrants fairly. When it is clear that the immigrants instigate by throwing various objects at the agents and trying to cross the border illegally.  Crossing the border without the proper papers is illegal no matter what the circumstance. I can’t fathom why the immigrants would attempt to cross through the desert under the treacherous weather conditions especially with their children, that to me is just ridiculous. I noticed after we returned and questioned myself, why does the Mexican government not have a border patrol?  In saying that, my position has not changed I stand behind the border patrol, they are doing their job. But at the same time I totally oppose the vigilante groups they are the equivalent to terrorists.

The next stop on our trip was driving through the city and into a colonio, where the class broke up into groups and visited families and ate lunch with them.  I think that was a very interesting experience.  The simple life that they lead without any luxuries and they seem content.  It really makes me appreciate what I have.  Our group was ineffective in our communication because on one in our group was able to speak enough Spanish and our host Vicki, could not speak any English either.  This gap in communication provokes me to think how the immigrants without any English survive in America if a translator is not present or available. But overall, driving through the city was a great experience, seeing how people live and what they do.

When I realized that our class would be visiting a maquiladora plant, I automatically thought the worst, from what I have heard from the past.  I was expecting horrible working conditions.  But I was very impressed with the how the operation inside was conducted.  The workers have very good benefits.  I would agree that earning $7-9 a day is clearly not enough for a family.  But is it not the same for an American family who has to work for minimum wage with several kids to support or even harder for a single parent family.  What is worse is that the American government make it seem as if the Mexican government treats their workers horribly, but it is the American companies that put those plants their and agreed to pay the workers low wages because that was their plan, “cheap labor”? 

Overall I felt the trip was definitely a learning experience.  A lot of the information I obtained, I was not aware of.  I would enjoy going further into Mexico, to see what the conditions are like the further you travel into Mexico.  I noticed the living conditions are not much different from India.