Us Border Patrol And Unfair Treatment Of Undocumented Immigrants

With the many opposing standpoints on the current border patrol policies, it is easy to feel a certain way about the subject. This is mainly due to the different ethnic backgrounds, political affiliation, and other cultural beliefs on the opposing sides. The Border Patrol is currently facing a dry spell in recruits for the agency. Reasons for joining such an agency differ between populations and individuals. Some may look to join for motives relating to a sense of patriotism in the face of terrorism, and some may choose to join for more personal reasons. The reasons for Francisco Cantú and many others working in Customs and Border Patrol presented in The Line Becomes a River are personal reasons pushed by external forces, including those sparked by ​feelings of opportunity, patriotism, national security, or others. These external forces statistically back up and offer explanations as to why individuals might pursue becoming a border patrol agent.

Francisco Cantú explains in the work that he wants to further his knowledge on the border patrol, to understand it. Growing up with Mexican heritage, Cantú carries a bias, as it is reasonable to with the border patrol talk being a hot issue currently. With the current political discrepancies taking place in the U.S., it is understandable that many Latinx communities feel that they are being targeted. Talking to his mother in part I, Cantú writes, “You can tell whoever asks that I’m tired of studying, I’m tired of reading about the border in books. I want to be on the ground, out in the field, I want to see the realities of the border day in and day out. I know it might be ugly, I know it might be dangerous, but I don’t see any better way to truly understand the place”. After four years of studying international relations and border policies and history, Cantú’s drive to work on the border patrol is made clear. He wants to be able to learn hands on what actually happens on the border. It is known that Cantú attended college and studied international relations and, more specifically, border policy. Knowing this, it is safe to assume that he may have been informed of the current events happening on the border and the issues that have come with them.

The issues highlighted by the public have stirred up a mix of feelings towards the U.S. Border Patrol. The growing debate over border policy is found all over the media. Information pertaining to the current border situation is bound to hit a college student studying the particular subject. For example, the nation has already invested billions into the border. Its budget was $14.4 billion in 2018. The Border Patrol is now the largest enforcement agency in America. Rather than being focused on projects and policies that benefit the nation as a whole, billions of dollars are being used to keep immigrants out. Migration from Mexico is currently below zero (the Conversation). Other examples of issues with the current border patrol policies are constantly being fed to citizens through all forms of media. The public is constantly being updated and informed on the events that both support and oppose different views on border policies. More specifically, corruption taking place within the border patrol itself is most concerning to the public and those in high office. The private Facebook group, where members were ruthlessly making fun of hundreds of deaths of undocumented immigrants, was all over the media. With growing frustration towards border policy, Cantú needed to see for himself just what exactly goes on at the border. The media displays the widespread support and opposition for and against border policies. With corruption now being discovered, the general public, and Latinx groups specifically, are doing more to combat the problems within the agency. Political figures are constantly clashing heads about the reforms being advocated for. Joining the patrol to help within the patrol itself may prove to produce more immediate change in the treatment of those undocumented.

Cantú also hopes to uphold the human rights of those trying to migrate to the U.S. When describing his experiences in the field, Cantú describes an encounter with a girl who wants to be a singer. The girl was an immigrant with a fake green card. He writes, “I don’t want to get in trouble at the processing center like last time, she said. I looked toward the port of entry and slipped the card into my pocket”. He could have easily detained the woman for being in possession of a counterfeit green card. Instead, he chose to escort her back to the border. ​Other agents in the field share the same empathy as Cantú. For example, a current agent shared some of his accounts while working on the border thus far. This particular agent asked to not have his identity revealed in light of Trump’s current stance on border patrol policies. The agent went on to explain the current mindset of those working on fixing the living conditions in border facilities. The agent stated, “It starts out with just sleep deprivation, then the next guys come in and sleep deprivation is normal, so they ramp it up… until you have full blown torture going on. That becomes the new normal”. If the mindset of those who are responsible for resolving the issues occuring in border facilities are becoming unmotivated, there is less reason to believe these conditions will improve.

With Trump’s following being a majority for anti-immigration, much of his efforts have been put into “strengthening” security on the border. Trump’s executive branch also holds members close to anti-immigration groups. Mistreatment of immigrants on the border have been fought against in recent time. Elora Mukherjee, ​director of Columbia Law School's Immigrants' Rights Clinic, spoke out on the conditions at the border patrol facilities. When discussing the current conditions at the Clint, Texas, she states, 'The conditions were the most degrading and inhumane conditions I have ever seen and I have been representing asylum-seeking children and their families in detention facilitates since 2007. This is unacceptable and should not be happening in America' (Wbur). Undocumented immigrants are being treated with little to no regard to the principles of basic human rights. These current conditions are reminiscent to those of the concentration camps during World War II. ​There have been ninety four immigrant deaths on the southern border since 2010. One account of a two year old dying from lack of medical attention shows that not even children are safe on the border. Another death was caused by agents opening fire on an unarmed man. Other accounts of deaths involving car crashes, lack of medical attention, and shootouts bring question to the billions of dollars being funded into the patrol. Twenty one have been injured from 2010 to 2017. Many instances occur where the immigrants being detained, including women and children, are injured or killed. This explains why many, like Cantú, felt that there is a need to have their boots on the ground in order to help those trying to escape a life of poverty in crime ridden towns in their home countries. The constant reminders, in the media, of the atrocities being committed on the border are sufficient enough to spark an emotional outbreak of feelings of reform. However, success in the reformation of border policies is not easy to obtain, even with a huge following behind it. To join the patrol and reform it from within the inside is perhaps a better path to take. For many citizens across the U.S., ensuring that their family is well taken care of is a top priority. Many agents on the border have taken the job to pay bills. With poverty lines increasing across the U.S., employment options run slim for some citizens. The minimal requirements needed in order to become an agent on the border makes applying for the agency look not as bad compared to unemployment. When explaining why the class was now down to forty-three, Cantú explains that Hanson quit after receiving another job offer from his hometown. He writes, “It pays almost as well, he told us, and I won’t have to move my wife and kids”.

Although money is not an issue Cantú faced in the book, it is an issue that many Americans today face. With the ever-growing competitiveness in the workforce, a position on the border patrol seems practical for many citizens in the U.S. The unemployment rate in U.S. border towns is at 5.7% compared to the 4.6% national rate. The Mexican Border States have a poverty rate at about 28% compared to the national 37%. This can be explained by the constant recruitment of agents from southern border towns. Many individuals choose to work on the border rather than face poverty. Average salaries of border patrol agents can range anywhere from $40,000 to about $90,000. A college degree is not a requirement to obtain a salary within these parameters. For the 2019-2020 school year, the average tuition cost for private universities is over $40,000. Public university tuition is over $11,000, and it is over $27,000 for out of state schools. Growing tuition fees combined with minimal requirements to become an agent are reasons why many Americans choose to work as an agent instead of becoming a poverty statistic.

The reasons for Francisco Cantú and many others working in Customs and Border Patrol presented in ​The Line Becomes a River ​ are personal reasons pushed by external forces, including those sparked by ​feelings of opportunity, patriotism, national security, or others. External forces, such as mistreatment and corruption within the agency, offer an explanation as to why Latinx individuals are choosing to join the Customs and Border Patrol. The media plays a huge role in the way information is received and interpreted. The shocking discovery of a private Facebook group of border agents entertaining and commenting on pictures of dead migrants is enough to cause an outrage of those who come from the same ethnic backgrounds as many of the migrants.

The opportunity to take matters into their own hands is something that is possible for a border patrol agent. Accounts of undocumented men, women, and children being injured and killed has caused a division within the nation. The stagnant process of operation has led many to believe that the current border policies are inadequate and must be reformed. Political change is a difficult task to achieve, especially with so many opposing stances. Citizens advocating for reformation within the agency may lose hope as the head of the White House consistently pushes for the flow of money into the agency in order to build a wall. On the other hand, a field agent has more effect on the individual migrants they come in contact with. This serves an alternative to achieve change on the border to an extent. Furthermore, financial benefits also serve a purpose in the recruitment of many border patrol agents. The ability to steer clear of unemployment and poverty without a college degree is possible if recruited into the agency. With poverty and employment lines increasing, recruitment into the agency seems like a no-brainer, especially without a college degree. All of these external forces act as a catalyst for Americans to join the patrol. However, it is their beliefs and ethnic backgrounds which drive their actions. There is a division within the nation, and the time for action is now.

Works Cited

1. “Border Facts.” ​Southern Border Communities Coalition​, ​www.southernborder.org/border-facts ​
2. Cantú, Francisco. ​The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border ​. Riverhead Books, 2019.
3. CBS News. “‘Inexcusable’ Border Patrol Social Media Faces Homeland Security Investigation.” CBS News ​, CBS Interactive, 3 July 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/border-patrol-social-media-investigation-homeland-security-ke vin-mcaleenan-today-2019-07-03/.
4. Massey, Douglas. “Today's US-Mexico 'Border Crisis' in 6 Charts.” ​The Conversation​, 8 July 2019, ​www.theconversation.com/todays-us-mexico-border-crisis-in-6-charts-98922​.
5. MPI. “The U.S.-Mexico Border.” ​Migrationpolicy.org​, 19 July 2019, www.migrationpolicy.org/article/us-mexico-border​.
6. Powell, Farran, and Emma Kerr. “What You Need to Know About College Tuition Costs.” ​U.S. News & World Report​, U.S. News & World Report, 18 Sept. 2019, www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/what-you-need-to- know-about-college-tuition-costs
7. Thompson, Ginger. “A Border Patrol Agent Reveals What It's Really Like to Guard Migrant Children.” ​ProPublica​, 21 Aug. 2019, www.propublica.org/article/a-border-patrol-agent-reveals-what-its-really-like-to-guard-migrant-children.
8. Wbur. “'Torture Facilities': Eyewitnesses Describe Poor Conditions At Texas Detention Centers For Migrant Children.” ​'Torture Facilities': Eyewitnesses Describe Poor Conditions At Texas Detention Centers For Migrant Children | On Point​, WBUR, 25 June 2019, www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/06/25/texas-border-control-facilities-migrant-children​.