Tales from Migrants Waiting at the Border -Cleo Chaney

Original Article: https://www.npr.org/2019/01/14/684589178/a-waiting-game-for-immigrants-and-border-agents-on-2-sides-of-the-border-wall

This article is about migrants waiting in Tijuana, attempting to enter the US. It shares photos and stories of individuals—definitely worth a read.

In November, a caravan of migrants arrived at the US border wall, hoping to gain entry into the country. Each day they wait to be called by number at the port of entry. This has been happening for weeks. Like the article says, it’s a “waiting game.” These migrants have been depicted as dangerous criminals, and while hundreds have illegally crossed, losing patience with the endless waiting, the vast majority of these migrants just want jobs and opportunities. They are refugees, fleeing violence. The amount of migrants waiting at the border now is about a third of the original amount. Lots of them have decided to stay inTijuana, where “there’s work for anyone who’s willing to work,” rather than face imprisonment in the so-called Land of Liberty.

In the Gilded Age, similar nativist attitudes were adopted when it came to the Chinese, who built the railroads that tied the country together. They were excluded from unions and anti-Chinese immigration policies were enacted.

It is important to remember that if America was formed by the minds of great men, it was built by the hands of immigrants, and it was always paid for by the hardworking people. The people who travelled miles for a chance at a better life are the epitome of the American ideals that politicians speak of.