'Violent criminals'

One of the most common refrains I hear about migrants from people who hate them is that they are criminals. They are often portrayed as being mostly drug smugglers, gang members, rapists, dealers, thieves. Doubtlessly among the hundreds of thousands who come across the border, there are some who fit into these categories and are coming not to work and provide for their families, but to commit crimes against innocent Americans and innocent fellow migrants. The same is true of any immigrant group, among any group of people coming into a new country, legally or illegally, there are always some who are criminals and who come not to build but destroy. That applies to ‘native’ Americans and Canadians as well- not only the true native First Nations peoples but also descendants of colonizers or of immigrants who arrived long ago who took it from them centuries ago who like to refer to themselves as natives of the area.

Anyways, in a conversation I had with a person who will remain nameless, I was told that the vast majority of migrants are violent criminals.

So I want to share some interesting observations.

1) When patrols go out, often 2 to 4 people are left at camp. During some days, there are 8 migrants at camp, the most we have had has been 14. So to do some math, for every NMDer left at camp on a day like that, assuming there are 4 of us, there are between 2 and 3.5 dangerous and violent criminals among us. We are out in the middle of nowhere, and though we have some very limited cellphone reception, I don’t know how long it would take the police to actually arrive… there has not been one attack or threat made against me or any other NMDer from a migrant, either this week or any other day during the last 6 years we’ve been out there.

2) Many of the volunteers leave their backpacks lying around camp. One time I have left my $250.00 camera on the table… it was really late and I was exhausted and I forgot. I came back the next morning and it was… there.

3) Manuel and Fernando were left to fend for themselves in the desert because they refused to serve as drug mules. Think about it for a second. People choosing to risk death over taking part in a crime. From what they said, it sounded very much like other people in their group were forced to carry drugs. It was either that or die of dehydration. Doesn’t seem like it was done willingly. In the past, cartels have murdered migrants who have refused to work for them.

4) This is one of the most powerful things I have seen and is testimony to the selflessness of many of the people who come across the desert. Often during patrols NMD volunteers find half drank water gallons. I have came across a few myself. For quite a while, we were trying to figure it out. Why on earth would a person travelling through 30 and over degree heat not take a full water gallon with him or her; I mean I understand not being able to chug the whole thing down at once but why not just take the rest? Some of the migrants we were with explained that little mystery for us. Many of the crossers are determined not only to stay alive, but to also make sure that others coming after them will be able to make it. So they drink half of the gallon, put the lid back on, and leave the rest for others. I don’t know if I’d be able to do that in their shoes, if I wouldn’t want to take the rest with me just in case I needed it later. 'Violent criminals' indeed…

I spent the last 8 days not only surrounded by people who are ‘violent criminals’ but I also was able to eat with them, listen to their life stories, share mine with them, play checkers with them, hear them sing songs from Mexico, play cards with them, and spend time with some of the most kind and resilient people I have ever met. Somehow I survived.

I think to call the majority of these people ‘violent criminals’ must require a very strong dose of propaganda from media networks and politicians who score points attacking people who everyone knows are for the most part incapable of defending themselves. The real criminals, aside from the cartels and those who do actually commit real crimes, are politicians who pass trade and border policies that bring about the deaths of thousands.