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Third Time’s a Charm

Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

In our current climate — both environmental (with predicted average temperature increases of 2.5-10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 100 years) and political (with a continued vilification of those crossing the border as well as those aiding in the humanitarian crisis) — the work being done at the border is imperative. Groups in Arizona and Texas, as well as individuals, are working every day to provide aid to those who have crossed and attempt to recover those who did not survive the journey. It is an honor to stand among those people, and an honor to travel to Falfurrias for the third time. 

Fieldwork in Sacred Heart Burial Park in January 2019. My first trip to Falfurrias.
Fieldwork in Sacred Heart Burial Park in January 2019. My first trip to Falfurrias.

My own anxieties are the same as the previous trips: the harsh environment, the long days, etc. However, the recent trial of Scott Warren (cited above) adds an additional legal anxiety. The Beyond Borders team is no stranger to interactions with Border Patrol and other entities, especially after getting pulled over three times in May 2019 while filling water stations. Fortunately, this has been the most extreme of our encounters. Yet, Warren’s arrest and trail, which TIME called “the most severe of all charges faced by humanitarian aid workers by far” (Aguilera 2019) means it is more possible that our team will have more, and possibly more severe, dealings with Border Patrol. 

While my irrational brain has these thoughts, my rational brain knows our team operates from a place of extreme privilege. We always have Deputy White with us, both for safety and to vouch for our presence and actions. We are also backed by an academic institution, an extra layer of protection that most organizations do not have. We have been and will continue to operate the same way we always have, but those working at the border every day are facing harsher consequences than we could imagine. Therefore, our job is twofold. We must perform the work at hand while in Falfurrias, but continue to educate about the border crisis wherever we go, as well as continue to support those organizations working tirelessly to aid at the border. 

January 2020 team
January 2020 team

Nevertheless, I am going to try to push those anxieties aside (if I can) and be present for this trip. It is very likely that this will be my last trip to Falfurrias, a reality I have no yet come to peace with yet. The past two trips have changed my life in ways that are impossible to articulate or duplicate, and it is an experience I never want to end. But — I want others to have these opportunities as well. I am so excited for our rookie, Tanya, to experience Falfurrias and everything that comes with it. I am also excited to spend my last trip with two former teammates, Alba and Sammi. And as always, I am grateful for the ability to continue to work with and learn from Dr. Latham, who inspires me every single day. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported this trip so far, and for your continued support throughout!

Sidney

Volviendo

Community, Environment, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

While it has been about 8 months since my last trip, not a day has gone by that I don’t think about everything I learned and the people I met. No matter how cliche it may sound, it was an experience that has and will impact my life forever and I’m so beyond grateful that I get to do it all again.

As our country’s political climate remains so tense, I’m fortunate enough to have an outlet and be given the opportunity to volunteer my time with organizations such as the South Texas Human Rights Center and Remote Wildlands Search and Recovery. I get to learn from the people who spend every day working at the border and experience first hand the amount of dedication they have. I also get to come back home and share my experiences with my community as well as have open conversations about the border crisis which is a privilege itself. 

Searching in the brush (May 2019)
Searching in the brush (May 2019)

Although our mission for this trip is the same as the last time, I know to expect the unexpected. I feel a little more prepared since I have some experience with the search and recovery efforts, but I know this trip will be different. With the cooler season in Texas, our work days will be much longer and that is the main challenge I believe I will need to overcome this trip. 

My goal for the time being until we depart for Falfurrias (it is Christmas as I write this) is to try and stay active to help with my stamina. In May, our days were cut short by the high temperatures and humidity, but they were still some of the hardest and most energy consuming days I have experienced. I know that no matter the weather or how long we spend searching, I will be exhausted at the end of each day. But, I want to make sure that my body can keep up with the passion and dedication I have for the team and our mission. 

Deputy Don White and I repairing a water station
Deputy Don White and I repairing a water station (May 2019)

I’m no longer that concerned about the landscape or creepy crawlies; we had our fair share of spiders, scorpions, ticks, chiggers and of mesquite thorns and sticker burrs. But, as for the weather, I don’t know what awaits us. While we expect it to be cooler, we still carry the same risks of dehydration and over exhaustion as we did in the summer, but it will be less obvious. However, I know that our team will take care of each other and, regardless of what we encounter, I know that we’ll get through it.

Apart from the amazing opportunity I have been given, there are a lot of things I’m looking forward to this trip. I can’t wait to see and spend time with some of the people I had the pleasure to meet and I am excited to interact with new people in the community. I’m excited for our trips to HEB and eating the delicious food that never disappoints in Fal. 

I’m just counting down the days.

Alba

“The life of a migrant is sad”

Environment, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

The second half of our trip focused on search and recovery operations on local ranches. We were working with Eddie Canales, Arianna & Selina of the South Texas Human Rights Center and  Deputy White of the Brooks County Sheriff’s Department. The first day of searching we were joined by a few students from Texas State University. They were able to spend about three hours with us with the goal of collecting data on search coverage using GPS tracking systems. It was a nice opportunity for the UIndy students to interact with their peers in another program and to learn different approaches and techniques for ground searches. The second and third days we focused on a smaller ranch near where Byron’s cousin went missing. Our work became more personal as we searched with him and learned more of his story. He told us about his journey to political asylum in the US, the sadness of not being able to see his family and the pain of loosing his cousin. He summed it up in one simple yet heartbreaking sentence “The life of a migrant is sad.”  The pain, the fear, the heartbreak, that does not just go away once you enter the US. It is just transformed into something different yet just as burdensome and heavy.

There were many impactful moments and learning opportunities for the team during this second half of our mission. I asked them each to relay something they learned:

The last few days of our trip have been really impactful for me. Spending time for 3 days straight doing search and recovery on ranches only gave me a glimpse of what it’s like for migrants on a daily basis. But, being around Byron and hearing his story really put my experience into perspective. The three days we spent searching were tough, so to hear that Byron spent two and a half months in conditions similar to and even worse than what we experienced was just heartbreaking. And he went through all of that at the age I am now. There’s no way I could ever be able to handle going through an experience like Byron’s at 24 years old. — Alba

Alba
Alba

As we walked through the brush there were many pathways heading into the trees. As we followed these pathways in search of evidence or humanity, I realized we were walking the paths of migrants. Paths that were not clear, but instead filled with obstacles throughout the brush. It’s difficult to describe how walking these paths made me feel, but I can say I gained a new perspective and general awe of the migrants and their ambition. — Holley

Holley & Deputy White
Holley & Deputy White
While conducting our search and recovery operations, one thing I noticed was how easy it is to get turned around in the brush. Our team was equipped with compasses and safety whistles but I highly doubt migrants would have the same resources. For me, this highlights just how unforgiving the environments migrants find themselves in can be and therefore how reliant migrants are on coyotes. — Megan
Megan
Megan

During our time searching, it really hit me how harsh this environment truly is. There is sand, thorns, stickerburs, animals, tall grass, and more that migrants have to maneuver through, often without any idea of where they are heading. I would imagine this would be even more difficult in the dark, considering just how hard it is in the daylight. It’s incredible that anyone makes it through safely. — Sidney

Sidney
Sidney

~KEL