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134
135These are the musings of Jim McIntosh, OFM — a Franciscan friar working with migrants in El Paso, Texas.</h2><p class="p2 header-author-links"><span class="item"><a href="https://twitter.com/jimcintosh" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="link author-twitter">@jimcintosh</a></span><span class="item"><a href="https://jmc.me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="p2 link author-link">https://jmc.me/</a></span></p></div></div><button class="button word-count__button" type="button"><p class="p3 word-count">3,040<!-- --> words</p></button></div></div></div>
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143<div id="AuthorShow-react-component-b93aefbd-f17e-414c-bebb-8b1799edd757"><div id="author-profile" data-reactroot=""><div id="author-posts"><div class="author-post"><div class="post-content post-preview"><div class="post-header"><h3 class="post-title h3"><a class="post-title" href="https://jmc.me/62018/wednesday-may-14-2025-at-4-55-pm">Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM</a></h3><p class="post-date p3">May 14, 2025<span class="post-date__separator">•</span><span>250<!-- --> words</span></p></div><div class="post-body p1">On Inauguration Day, the border with Mexico was closed for migrants and refugees. Our shelter continued on for a few days, but ultimately had to close, along with the other shelters in El Paso and Las Cruces, N.M. We had moved here to El Paso to work with the migrants, but the opportunity to do that has really disappeared.
144
145Meanwhile, the provincial administration has been desperately looking for friars -- particularly bilingual ones -- for Macon, Georgia.
146
147The city of Macon has around 500 place...</div><a class="block read-more-link" href="https://jmc.me/62018/wednesday-may-14-2025-at-4-55-pm">Read post</a></div></div><div class="author-post"><div class="post-content post-preview"><div class="post-header"><h3 class="post-title h3"><a class="post-title" href="https://jmc.me/52175/clothes-make-the-migrant">Clothes Make the Migrant</a></h3><p class="post-date p3">June 3, 2024<span class="post-date__separator">•</span><span>422<!-- --> words</span></p></div><div class="post-body p1">
148
149The migrants who bravely navigate the border, evade state troopers, and present themselves to border patrol agents asking for asylum are stripped of almost everything. They arrive at our shelter, their bodies and spirits worn, clad in soiled sweatshirts, sweatpants, and makeshift footwear. The few belongings they are allowed to retain are sealed in a plastic bag: their passports, national identity cards, cell phones, and any currency they have after their long journey.
150
151Most of them have spent...</div><a class="block read-more-link" href="https://jmc.me/52175/clothes-make-the-migrant">Read post</a></div></div><div class="author-post"><div class="post-content post-preview"><div class="post-header"><h3 class="post-title h3"><a class="post-title" href="https://jmc.me/51929/where-there-s-a-will">Where There&#x27;s a Will</a></h3><p class="post-date p3">May 25, 2024<span class="post-date__separator">•</span><span>561<!-- --> words</span></p></div><div class="post-body p1">
152
153El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez in Chihuahua, Mexico, are two cities divided by the Rio Grande River (which isn't very "grande" at this point), the border between the two countries.
154
155Migrants making their way north to seek asylum in the U.S. are increasingly blocked by the Mexican government—working in cooperation with the U.S. government—from reaching the border region. Those who manage to evade those blockages and reach Cuidad Juárez must figure out what to do next.
156
157They have three option...</div><a class="block read-more-link" href="https://jmc.me/51929/where-there-s-a-will">Read post</a></div></div><div class="author-post"><div class="post-content post-preview"><div class="post-header"><h3 class="post-title h3"><a class="post-title" href="https://jmc.me/51927/judge-shopping">Judge Shopping</a></h3><p class="post-date p3">August 29, 2023<span class="post-date__separator">•</span><span>570<!-- --> words</span></p></div><div class="post-body p1">
158
159The right to asylum is an ancient concept in which people oppressed by their own country can find protection in another country. Following the Second World War, nations faced millions of refugees, and they rushed to address the crisis. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 says that “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” Under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to th...</div><a class="block read-more-link" href="https://jmc.me/51927/judge-shopping">Read post</a></div></div><div class="author-post"><div class="post-content post-preview"><div class="post-header"><h3 class="post-title h3"><a class="post-title" href="https://jmc.me/51780/tales-from-the-border">Tales From the Border</a></h3><p class="post-date p3">August 11, 2023<span class="post-date__separator">•</span><span>1,181<!-- --> words</span></p></div><div class="post-body p1">
160
161Since moving to the borderlands of the Mexican frontier last year, I have been amazed at what the migrants are willing to go through in seeking a better life for themselves and their children. The causes for migration are numerous: in many areas, gangs and cartels operate openly; in other areas, climate change has made farming impossible; some countries have become failed states and lack basic necessities; LGBT+ persons are among those fleeing persecution because of who they are.
162
163I see famili...</div><a class="block read-more-link" href="https://jmc.me/51780/tales-from-the-border">Read post</a></div></div></div><button class="button scroll-to-top__button " type="button"><div class="scroll-to-top__container"></div></button><div class="error-toast "><div class="error-toast__container"><div class="error-toast__toast"><p class="p2 error-toast__message"></p>
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164      
164<script type="application/json" class="js-react-on-rails-component" data-component-name="AuthorShow" data-dom-id="AuthorShow-react-component-b93aefbd-f17e-414c-bebb-8b1799edd757">{"posts":[{"id":62018,"title":"Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM","unlisted":false,"created_at":"2025-05-14T22:59:28.000Z","word_count":250,"page":null,"author_name":null,"author_link":null,"author_relative_url":"https://jmc.me/62018/wednesday-may-14-2025-at-4-55-pm","preview_text":"On Inauguration Day, the border with Mexico was closed for migrants and refugees. Our shelter continued on for a few days, but ultimately had to close, along with the other shelters in El Paso and Las Cruces, N.M. We had moved here to El Paso to work with the migrants, but the opportunity to do that has really disappeared.\n\nMeanwhile, the provincial administration has been desperately looking for friars -- particularly bilingual ones -- for Macon, Georgia.\n\nThe city of Macon has around 500 place...","rendered_text":"\u003cp\u003eOn Inauguration Day, the border with Mexico was closed for migrants and refugees. Our shelter continued on for a few days, but ultimately had to close, along with the other shelters in El Paso and Las Cruces, N.M. We had moved here to El Paso to work with the migrants, but the opportunity to do that has really disappeared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the provincial administration has been desperately looking for friars -- particularly bilingual ones -- for Macon, Georgia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe city of Macon has around 500 places of worship -- including a couple of synagogues and a mosque -- and only three of them are Catholic parishes. We presently have three friars in Macon, working at two of the three parishes. But, two of the friars are slated to move for other work, so the province was going to have to withdraw from the parishes in Macon -- until they heard that we were available.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere's a big parish downtown run by diocesan priests. We have the other two parishes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne, where I'll be living, is a pretty typical mostly-white Catholic parish. The other one is more interesting. It's located in a black neighborhood. At the English Masses, however, the congregation is pretty mixed racially. This parish also has the only Mass in Spanish in Macon, so latinos come from all over the area. The church is packed for the Spanish Mass!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe are now busy packing and getting ready for the move, which should hopefully happen before the end of May.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"id":52175,"title":"Clothes Make the Migrant","unlisted":false,"created_at":"2024-06-03T00:03:49.000Z","word_count":422,"page":false,"author_name":null,"author_link":null,"author_relative_url":"https://jmc.me/52175/clothes-make-the-migrant","preview_text":"\n\nThe migrants who bravely navigate the border, evade state troopers, and present themselves to border patrol agents asking for asylum are stripped of almost everything. They arrive at our shelter, their bodies and spirits worn, clad in soiled sweatshirts, sweatpants, and makeshift footwear. The few belongings they are allowed to retain are sealed in a plastic bag: their passports, national identity cards, cell phones, and any currency they have after their long journey.\n\nMost of them have spent...","rendered_text":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/womenensweats.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe migrants who bravely navigate the border, evade state troopers, and present themselves to border patrol agents asking for asylum are stripped of almost everything. They arrive at our shelter, their bodies and spirits worn, clad in soiled sweatshirts, sweatpants, and makeshift footwear. The few belongings they are allowed to retain are sealed in a plastic bag: their passports, national identity cards, cell phones, and any currency they have after their long journey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost of them have spent at least a few days being processed in a detention center without adequate bathing facilities. They come to us dirty, exhausted, wearing filthy gray sweat clothes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey don’t know who we are or what they can expect from us, so we usually welcome them by telling them, “¡Están libres! You are free!” We then cut off the ID bracelets used by CBP to identify them in the detention facility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur shelter stands apart from most others as it operates solely on our community's dedication. We have no paid staff; every individual who assists the migrants does so out of a shared commitment to welcoming and caring for our new neighbors. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur main job is to help the migrants on their way to their final destination. While they wait for their families to buy them tickets or for us to arrange space on the Texas-provided free buses to Denver, Chicago, or New York, we provide for basic human needs such as hot meals, cots with linens, and medicine as needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/laroperia.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most important services we offer the migrants is La Roperia, a small room with used clothing donated by the people of El Paso.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey go to La Roperia family-by-family to 
164see if we have clothes in their sizes. If they find some, they are welcome to have them. We limit them to one shirt, one pair of pants, and one set of underwear, but that’s because of our limited supply of clothing and the fact that they’ll hopefully be with their families in a day or two when they can buy all the clothes they want. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe impact of receiving 'new' clothes is truly remarkable. The change is tangible as they don the garments they chose, enjoy a warm shower, and use a new toothbrush. They cease to be a group of individuals in drab, soiled attire, and once again become unique, distinct individuals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI remember one woman who found what looked like a prom dress—really over-the-top for everyday wear—but she wore it proudly. She was once again a woman!\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"id":51929,"title":"Where There's a Will","unlisted":false,"created_at":"2024-05-25T17:00:03.000Z","word_count":561,"page":null,"author_name":null,"author_link":null,"author_relative_url":"https://jmc.me/51929/where-there-s-a-will","preview_text":"\n\nEl Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez in Chihuahua, Mexico, are two cities divided by the Rio Grande River (which isn't very \"grande\" at this point), the border between the two countries.\n\nMigrants making their way north to seek asylum in the U.S. are increasingly blocked by the Mexican government—working in cooperation with the U.S. government—from reaching the border region. Those who manage to evade those blockages and reach Cuidad Juárez must figure out what to do next.\n\nThey have three option...","rendered_text":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/ElPasoYCJuarezISS.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEl Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez in Chihuahua, Mexico, are two cities divided by the Rio Grande River (which isn't very \"grande\" at this point), the border between the two countries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMigrants making their way north to seek asylum in the U.S. are increasingly blocked by the Mexican government—working in cooperation with the U.S. government—from reaching the border region. Those who manage to evade those blockages and reach Cuidad Juárez must figure out what to do next.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey have three options: they can use the CBP One smartphone app to schedule an appointment at a port of entry to make their asylum case; they can cross the border without authorization and then present themselves to a Border Patrol agent and request asylum; or they can cross the border and then disappear, living and working illegally as an undocumented person.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe CBP One app is the official way to gain an asylum appointment. However, it seems designed to limit the number of asylum seekers seen daily. Some migrants in Juárez have been waiting for months to get an appointment—using the app each morning to try and secure one of the few available appointments that day. The result is that most give up and use the second option: cross the river and request asylum from a border patrol agent. Almost all the migrants we see at the shelter where I work have been forced to take this option. It's also not easy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has directed the installation of cortina wire in the Rio Grande. He has also stationed Texas State Police between the river and the border patrol agents. Their job is to \"encourage\" the migrants to return to Mexico.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne father told me that they threw a blanket over the cortina wire to use it to lift the wire so that their children could pass under it. He told me another family and five single men crossed with his. He said the state police yelled at the families but ultimately let them pass. He said that the state police used clubs to drive the five men back across the border.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne would think that they avoided beating the families because the videos of the police beating children go viral. But, one woman from El Salvador arrived at our shelter with four small children. Her arm was in a brace, and she was walking gingerly—clearly in pain.  I asked her what happened. (It's not uncommon to encounter people who've fallen on La Bestia—the train many migrants use to make their way up through Mexico—or who tried unsuccessfully to climb the wall.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShe said that the state police beat her with clubs, yelling, \"Go back to your own country!\" She and her children managed to get around them and request asylum from the border patrol agents waiting at the wall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn January, a woman and her two children \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2024-01-13/three-drown-in-rio-grande-after-texas-blocks-border-patrol-from-rescue\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003edrowned\u003c/a\u003e in the Rio Grande after the state police blocked the border patrol from saving them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese people are fleeing from oppression and misery. They have spent months or even years traveling to the U.S. border. In many cases, they had to cross the Darian Gap on foot. These travails at the border are just another obstacle to conquer. It's important to remember: as bad as what they counter gets, it's still better than the conditions in their home country.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"id":51927,"title":"Judge Shopping","unlisted":false,"created_at":"2023-08-29T14:23:07.000Z","word_count":570,"page":null,"author_name":null,"author_link":null,"author_relative_url":"https://jmc.me/51927/judge-shopping","preview_text":"\n\nThe right to asylum is an ancient concept in which people oppressed by their own country can find protection in another country. Following the Second World War, nations faced millions of refugees, and they rushed to address the crisis. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 says that “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” Under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to th...","rendered_text":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/supreme-court-exterior-behind.1.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe right to asylum is an ancient concept in which people oppressed by their own country can find protection in another country. Following the Second World War, nations faced millions of refugees, and they rushed to address the crisis. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 says that “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” Under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who is outside that person’s own country’s territory owing to fear of persecution on protected grounds, including race, caste, nationality, religion, political opinions and participation in any particular social group or social activities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eToday, people are still fleeing from oppressive regimes, but these days, they also face challenges from organized crime and climate change. Island nations are disappearing as sea levels rise; changes in rain patterns have wiped out family farms; rising temperatures have made some locals uninhabitable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that there are currently over 108 million displaced people in the world. Many are in refugee camps, but millions are also on the move looking for a permanent home — crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe, and across the Americas.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEac
164h year, hundreds of thousands of people arrive at the U.S. border, seeking asylum. The normal process is they are admitted, and then later appear before an immigration judge to make their case,\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe website \u003ca href=\"https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003etrac.syr.edu/immigration\u003c/a\u003e has some fascinating statistics about the results of the hearings in which asylum-seekers are either approved for asylum or are denied it and are deported back to their home countries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome take-aways from these statistics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBetween 2017 and 2022, Immigration Court judges nationwide \u003cstrong\u003edenied 63.8 percent\u003c/strong\u003e (or about 2/3) of asylum claims.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHaving a lawyer is important. About \u003cstrong\u003e63%\u003c/strong\u003e of applicants were not represented by a lawyer, and of these, 83% were denied asylum.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003e2,503,251\u003c/strong\u003e cases waiting to be heard.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSo far in FY 2023, \u003cstrong\u003e1,077,916\u003c/strong\u003e new court cases have been added, and 536,490 court cases have been closed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe difference between the various immigration judges is worth noting. \u003ca href=\"https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/judge2023/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThis page\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;shows the decisions on a judge-by-judge basis. The variation between judges is amazing. A judge in Houston, Texas, has never approved even one asylum case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/judge-zero.png\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn Arlington, Va., if you get David White as your judge, you have a 4.6% chance of being approved for asylum; if, on the other hand, your case is assigned to Lawrence Burman, your chance of being approved jumps to 80%!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/ins-judges.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e[The website notes this caveat, “Although denial rates are shaped by each Judge’s judicial philosophy, denial rates are also shaped by other factors, such as the types of cases on the Judge’s docket, the detained status of immigrant respondents, current immigration policies, and other factors beyond an individual Judge’s control.  …The composition of cases may differ significantly between Immigration Courts in the country [and] …if judges within a Court are assigned to specialized dockets or hearing locations, then case compositions are likely to continue to differ and can contribute to differences in asylum denial rates.”]\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eImmigration judges are appointed by the Attorney General and can be removed “at will” since they are his or her delegates. The Harvard Law Review website \u003ca href=\"https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-136/courts-in-name-only-repairing-americas-immigration-adjudication-system/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ediscusses\u003c/a\u003e the problems with these judges and possible solutions in more detail.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"id":51780,"title":"Tales From the Border","unlisted":false,"created_at":"2023-08-11T17:08:05.000Z","word_count":1181,"page":null,"author_name":null,"author_link":null,"author_relative_url":"https://jmc.me/51780/tales-from-the-border","preview_text":"\n\nSince moving to the borderlands of the Mexican frontier last year, I have been amazed at what the migrants are willing to go through in seeking a better life for themselves and their children. The causes for migration are numerous: in many areas, gangs and cartels operate openly; in other areas, climate change has made farming impossible; some countries have become failed states and lack basic necessities; LGBT+ persons are among those fleeing persecution because of who they are.\n\nI see famili...","rendered_text":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://jmc.rip/p/Ursula_detention_center-1.jpg\" alt=\"image\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince moving to the borderlands of the Mexican frontier last year, I have been amazed at what the migrants are willing to go through in seeking a better life for themselves and their children. The causes for migration are numerous: in many areas, gangs and cartels operate openly; in other areas, climate change has made farming impossible; some countries have become failed states and lack basic necessities; LGBT+ persons are among those fleeing persecution because of who they are.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI see families risking everything, even death, for the slimmest opportunity at a better life in the U.S. for themselves and their children. Most come knowing that their chances of being granted asylum by immigration judges are extremely low, but they are willing to come for the possibility of a better life – or at least a couple of years of safety.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome people I’ve interviewed have been on the road for months or years. It’s not uncommon to meet a couple with, for example, two small children: the parents might be from Venezuela, with one child born in Brazil and the other born in Panama!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat them. The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n[Leviticus 19:33-34]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo get from Colombia to Panama, migrants must cross the Darian Gap – a wild jungle with natural barriers such as swamps and rivers and human predators preying on the most vulnerable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIgnatius Harding OFM, who is with me in El Paso, Texas, was interviewing a newly arrived father and daughter. He asked the father if his wife would be joining them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e“No,” the father said, “my wife drowned in the Darian Gap.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe heard of another family with five young children. The mother also drowned, and the father was left trying to care for the children by himself. Luckily, another man “adopted” the family and accompanied them through the gap and up to the U.S. border. The men took turns sleeping at night so that one would be awake to watch over the children.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome migrants have told me that the worst part of their trek through the Darian Gap was seeing all the dead bodies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne woman was making her way to join her husband in the States. Her small daughter and next-door neighbors accompanied her with their two small children. When crossing a rushing river, she lost her balance. She tossed her daughter onto the riverbank, and someone grabbed her arm to help her out. She looked back to see the other couple and their children being swept away down the river.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n[Matthew 14:19]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost migrants we see are couples in their 20s with young children. The children have seen horrific things on their journey here, but I find their resilience amazing. They begin playing with the other kids within minutes of coming into our shelter. It is wonderful to see Haitian, Latino, and children from other cultures organize themselves and learn to speak a common language made up of a mixture of Haitian creole, Spanish, Mayan, and other languages.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWatching them play, it is also quite clear that racism is learned. They see no differences between themselves beyond that of language, but even there, they learn to communicate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUndoubtedly, the trauma they experienced will affect them throughout their lives, but – having reached the safety of our shelter – they can be children again and simply play.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSome wandered in desert wastelands,\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003efinding no way to a city where they could settle.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThey were hungry and thirsty,\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eand their lives ebbed away.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThen they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eand he delivered them from their distress.\u
164003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eHe led them by a straight way\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eto a city where they could settle.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n[Psalm 107:4-7]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the migrant center in Agua Prieta, Mexico, we mostly dealt with migrants who had crossed the border illegally, were caught, and then sent back across the border. I encountered a man older than most, maybe in his mid-40s. He was walking very gingerly, so I could tell he had hurt his feet in the desert, which was not uncommon. I asked him how he was doing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e“I feel so blessed,” he replied.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI was surprised because of the condition of his feet and the fact that he had been caught and expelled from the United States, and so I asked him why. He told me that he had become separated from his group the first night in the desert. (This was in February when the temperatures at night in the desert were in the 20s.) He wandered that night and then hid out during the day. The following night, he thought that he would die from hypothermia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe said that he prayed and put everything in God’s hands. He looked up and thought that he saw a cross in the sky pointing to a star on the horizon. He walked towards that star and came to a small settlement. All the houses were dark except one. He went to that house, intending to ask them to call the Border Patrol to turn himself in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he knocked, though, the person answering the door said, “Shh! There are migrants here.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe went in to discover that the migrants there were from his group! They had arrived the night before! He told me they waited in the safe house for a couple of days and were then loaded into cars for the journey up to Tucson. His car was stopped, and that’s why he was returned to Mexico and our migrant center.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor I was hungry, and you gave me food;
164 I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n[Mathew 25:35]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, over 100 million forcibly displaced people \u003ca href=\"https://www.unhcr.org/us/about-unhcr/who-we-are/figures-glance\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eexist worldwide\u003c/a\u003e. As ocean levels rise and climate change continues to play havoc with our fragile world, this number will inevitably spiral upwards.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWatching the news, one can get the impression that the borderlands are a wild territory with masses of migrants chaotically rushing the bridges over the Rio Grande. The reality is quite different.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe migrants we see are families and vulnerable people seeking a better life. As each new group is dropped off at the shelter by the immigration authorities, we tell them, “¡Ustedes son libres! You are free!” While they still face the immediate difficulty of getting to their destination in the U.S. and – down the road – having to face immigration courts, which deny most asylum claims, for the moment, they are in the U.S., and they and their children are out of danger.\u003c/p\u003e\n"}],"olderThan":null,"newerThan":null,"lastPostId":null,"displayAuthor":{"id":34464}}</script>
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