Undocumented Workers

I am working for an affiliate that is relatively small (only 6 full-time staff members, compared to Northern California's 45 - 60. It's a big difference); but I can't accurately describe how intense the experience is down here. The immigration issue, and the hatred for undocumented workers and brown people in general, is not just big here--it's the issue here. I've never personally known something to divide so many people before. The only thing comparable that comes to mind is the civil rights movement of the Jim Crow South--the only difference here is that the undocumented are in constant danger of being deported and therefore the fear of leaving one's house for anything other than work and the basic need of survival (food, etc.) are the only times when they leave their homes. But they're not even safe in their own homes because the sheriff here (Joe Arpaio, a true-life villain of comic book proportions) is completely focused on conducting illegal roundups of undocumented people in their neighborhoods and places of employment. He is notorious for his civil rights abuses and his illegal actions.

Because the threat is so huge to the undocumented community, there are self-imposed curfews. The undocumented cannot participate in any of the organized actions, protests, or rallies to protest the abuses on their community because the sheriff will show up and arrest, abuse, and deport them. The idea of "strength in numbers" is pretty counter-progressive here, and as a result the latino community here is fractured, and it's harmful to the growing movement for change. There are also large percentages of latino citizens who vote in support for anti-immigrant initiatives, compounding the problem. It stems from their need to separate themselves from "the illegals" because they came across the border "the right" way. Currently, there is no legal process to enter into this country from Mexico.

There are some (few) faith groups involved in this struggle, but the ones that are are doing a lot and stretching themselves thin. There is a group here that is called No More Deaths, they go into the desert and try to save the lives of people who are attempting to cross the border through the Sonoran Desert. Hundreds of people every year die while trying to cross the border, and those numbers are known to drastically increase during the summer months when temperatures rise to over 120 degrees. The border patrol has an intentionally stronger presence in Texas and California, and an intentionally smaller presence in Arizona. This creates a funnel of border crossing through the Sonoran Desert, one of the largest and hottest deserts in North America. There is no infrastructure--no roads, water, and very little shade. Crossing the Arizona border is literally a death trap--our Government knows this, and they keep it that way.

By the way, the crime of crossing the border illegally is a misdemeanor--no more serious than failing to wear your seatbelt.