Narcos On The Migrant Trail Summary
In the early 1900’s Mexican migrants were free to enter and leave the U.S. whenever they felt like it. The primary concern of the border patrol was to keep the Chinese migrants out. For the most part every person who tried to get into the U.S. and looked hispanic was allowed and never questioned. Today Mexicans or people who look hispanic are being chased after by the border patrol and are being kept out. Since the U.S. is denying entry to these illegal immigrants they are going through extreme measures to get in. Most of them end up severely injured or dead. The book The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail by Oscar Martinez talks about the experiences of these migrants which aren’t easy. Martinez goes to Mexico
…show more content…
It’s the sad truth and horrific moments like these wouldn’t happen if the U.S hadn’t built a wall. Migrants would be able to come to the U.S. to work which is what they are mostly here for and would leave to be with their families when their contacts are over. According to Sanchez in “Across the Dividing Line,” before the wall’s main priority was to keep mexicans out, there were no restrictions. Many mexicans passed border patrol officers back and forth and they weren’t even asked for a passport because officers knew they were only going to the U.S. for a job, not to settle. All of the migrants kept their word and returned to their families and the cycle continued for several years. This all changed in 1917 when the border enforced its policy. Sanchez says, “ In 1917, the United States Congress passed an immigration act.. placed sunstantive restrictions on those who entered from Mexico. . included a literacy tests, a medical examination, head tax..” (55). Once this act was passed Mexican migrants started to cross illegally because they didn’t have enough money to pay for the head tax, most of them didn’t know how to read and the medical exams were too harsh. The Mexican migrants who did enter the U.S. legally were vaccinated, deloused and fumigated as if they were animals. These rigorous procedures were out of hand and I think it wasn’t
It’s the sad truth and horrific moments like these wouldn’t happen if the U.S hadn’t built a wall. Migrants would be able to come to the U.S. to work which is what they are mostly here for and would leave to be with their families when their contacts are over. According to Sanchez in “Across the Dividing Line,” before the wall’s main priority was to keep mexicans out, there were no restrictions. Many mexicans passed border patrol officers back and forth and they weren’t even asked for a passport because officers knew they were only going to the U.S. for a job, not to settle. All of the migrants kept their word and returned to their families and the cycle continued for several years. This all changed in 1917 when the border enforced its policy. Sanchez says, “ In 1917, the United States Congress passed an immigration act.. placed sunstantive restrictions on those who entered from Mexico. . included a literacy tests, a medical examination, head tax..” (55). Once this act was passed Mexican migrants started to cross illegally because they didn’t have enough money to pay for the head tax, most of them didn’t know how to read and the medical exams were too harsh. The Mexican migrants who did enter the U.S. legally were vaccinated, deloused and fumigated as if they were animals. These rigorous procedures were out of hand and I think it wasn’t