1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: From Fudromidia and RX. It's Latino Usa. I'm Mariano Hsa 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: today part one of our series The Moving Border. Welcome 3 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: to Latino USA. I'm Maria no Josa and dear listener. 4 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: This week we bring you something special. It's Part one 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: of The Moving Border. It's a deeply on the ground 6 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:34,279 Speaker 1: reported story that looks at asylum in the country and 7 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: the somewhat secretive partnership between Mexico and the US that 8 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: prevented immigrants from crossing the border. Our award winning series 9 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: originally aired in May of twenty twenty, when border policies 10 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: were being made under the Trump administration. So with the 11 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: elections rapidly approaching and with immigration being a top issue 12 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: for voters, we thought the time was right to bring 13 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: this content back to you. So here now is the 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: first part of The Moving Border. It all began with 15 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: a four letter word wall. I would build a great wall, 16 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: and nobody builds walls better than me. 17 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: Believe me. 18 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: I will build a great, great wall on. 19 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 3: Our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:20,639 Speaker 3: that wall. 21 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: Mark my works. 22 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: As Donald Trump's campaign for president heated up four years ago, 23 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: it was the word that launched a thousand rallies because 24 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: I've been hearing a lot of things. Oh, the wall 25 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: didn't make that much of a difference. You know where 26 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: it made a big difference, right here in El Paso. 27 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: We're going to build the wall. We have no choice, 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: we have no choice. 29 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 4: Build that wall, Build that wall, Build that wall, Build 30 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 4: that wall. 31 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: Build now. Most immigration experts would tell you it was 32 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: a fantasy. It was too expensive, not to mention that 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: it wouldn't solve the problem of people crossing the border 34 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: without papers, let alone do anything to address the growing 35 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: number of asylum seekers legally asking for refuge at ports 36 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: of entry. But there was a simplicity to it, a 37 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: catchiness build the wall. It reduced a complicated issue to 38 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: a small idea, and it very well may have catapulted 39 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: a reality television star into the nation's highest office. The phrase, 40 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: of course, wasn't just build the wall, it was also 41 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: make Mexico pay for it now. In Mexico, this was 42 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: widely ridiculed. It was a material of jokes and can 43 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: you believe this guy? Dinner conversations jevasclationsro shortly after Trump's 44 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: inauguration in twenty seventeen. Then President Enrique Bagnaneto went on 45 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 1: TV to make Mexico's position clear. 46 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 4: Mexico nokrelos mos levicho una yotra Mexico not. 47 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: Mexico doesn't believe in walls. He said, I've said it 48 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: again and again. Mexico isn't going to pay for any wall. 49 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: Now it's near the end of the first term of 50 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: the Trump presidency and something perhaps unexpected has happened. Mexico 51 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: has a new president, a leftist and a populist. He, 52 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: like his predecessor, scoffed at the idea of paying for 53 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: the wall. Get to the surprise of many, he's become 54 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: a willing partner in Trump's mission of slowing immigration to 55 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: a trickle. Trump hasn't built his promised wall, at least 56 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: not more than a few small sections of it. But 57 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: it turns out he doesn't need it, and that's because 58 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: the wall has become Mexico itself. The real wall, the 59 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: one that President Trump has successfully built, is not a 60 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: wall of steel or even cement. You could actually say 61 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: it's a paper wall. It's a wall of policies, policies 62 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: that push migrants out of the US and further and 63 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: further south. Into Mexico. These are policies made by the 64 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: United States government, as well as Mexican policies made under 65 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: pressure and with financial support from the United States. In 66 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: January of this year, I visited Mexico both its northern 67 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: and southern borders to learn more about this policy wall 68 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: and how it's affecting the lives of migrants today. 69 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 3: I see razor wire now to my right, a gate 70 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 3: over the pathway I started by crossing the border into 71 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 3: Suda Quadris. 72 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: It's a huge, busy city of nearly one and a 73 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: half million people, right across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, 74 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: which is its sister city. And as a little girl, 75 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: I remember making this crossing a couple of times on 76 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 1: family vacations to Mexico. But now it seems so different. 77 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 3: So I've got fence above my head, fencing to my right, 78 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: fencing to my left. It's like I'm in a cage. 79 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 3: It's a little strange, and I'm just getting to the big, huge, rusted, 80 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 3: massive barricade that is the fence, the wall. It's long, rusty, brown, 81 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 3: and this was not here in all of the years 82 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 3: that I. 83 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: Crossed as a little kid, you never saw this, the 84 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: border crossing between these two cities is a place where 85 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: the Trump administration has piloted many of its new immigration programs. 86 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: So what is is a place where you get a 87 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: chance to see the results. We're going to look at 88 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: policies facing one group of migrants, Specifically, they're considered the 89 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 1: most vulnerable. They're asylum seekers, and they're supposed to have 90 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: the most protections and care. Over the last couple of years, 91 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: makeshift tent camps of asylum seekers have popped up in 92 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: cities and towns all along the border. There are families 93 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: that are sleeping under bridges right out in the open. 94 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: Here into that what is a large encampment at a 95 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: park where thousands of people were living has recently been disbanded. 96 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: Now those asylum seekers are scattered throughout the city, staying 97 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: in a series of shelters run by churches and private organizations. 98 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 1: And one of those shelters will be our first stop. 99 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: So now we're in a very poor area of what 100 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: is The street that we're on is not paved, it's 101 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: all dirt. The shelter we visit is located in a 102 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: square building with a plain white wall and a sign 103 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: outside that says, it's a community center. There are some 104 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: kids outside playing soccer, and they told me that migrants 105 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: live here olat this We walked towards the back of 106 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: this place and I just begin to follow the smell. 107 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: There's a mixture of sweet and salty coming from the kitchen. 108 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: Can see on a very small stove, one woman is 109 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: stirring hot cereal with milk for her kids. On another burner, 110 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: a young man with a funky haircut and a pink 111 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: and blue jacket is making sopita de boyo chicken soup. 112 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: There's an older woman who's getting her hair done in 113 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: the kitchen, and others are sitting in the back patio 114 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: smoking cigarettes. 115 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 2: Yes, I thought from. 116 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 4: Maman, and. 117 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 1: That's Catherine. She's one of the only Hondurans living in 118 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: this shelter full of Cuban asylum seekers. She says they 119 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: become like a big family. They cook together and the 120 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: other women help her with her two daughters, the ones 121 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: who will be getting that hot cereal. Catherine says she 122 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: feels safe here in this shelter, but not at all 123 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: in the city. 124 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 2: It's Theranicana. 125 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: Catherine says, when they first arrived in Waes, she happened 126 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: to see a lady crossing the street with her daughter 127 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: her Then a van stopped, people snatched her child and 128 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: took off. The woman was left in the middle of 129 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: the street screaming. Catherine says she stopped sending her older 130 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: daughter to school. She doesn't want her kids out of 131 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: her sight. She says they almost never go outside except 132 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: to go to court. That is, in the years she's 133 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: been at this shelter, Catherine has had six, yes, six 134 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: hearings with US immigration officials and still no decision on 135 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 1: her claim for asylum. What's keeping her and her family 136 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: here in Mexico is the first brick in Trump's policy 137 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: wall that we're going to talk about. It's something called 138 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: Migrant Protection Protocols or MPP. You might have heard about it, 139 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,040 Speaker 1: and it's also referred to as the Remain in Me 140 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: Mexico policy because that's exactly what it forces people to do. 141 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 5: Individuals arriving in or entering the United States from Mexico 142 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 5: illegally or without proper documentation, maybe returned to Mexico for 143 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 5: the duration of their immigration proceedings, they will not be 144 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 5: able to disappear into the United States. 145 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: That's former DHS Secretary Kirsten Nielsen announcing the policy back 146 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: in December of twenty eighteen. Since remaining in Mexico went 147 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: into effect, nearly sixty thousand asylum seekers arriving at the 148 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 1: US border, people like Catherine, have been ordered to wait 149 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: in Mexico while a decision is made in the US 150 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: on their asylum petitions. This is a radical departure from 151 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: how things used to work. Asylum is a process that 152 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: can take years, and that's why in the past, asylum 153 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: seekers were always allowed to wait safely in the US 154 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: for their hearings. Now, asylum seekers like Catherine are stuck 155 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: on the other side of the border. 156 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 2: SiO. 157 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: She shows me her appointment letter from Customs and Border Protection. 158 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: Don de lutins, where are you keeping this? This piece 159 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: of paper is the only proof that Catherine has of 160 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: her pending case. To make sure she never loses it 161 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: or that no one takes it, she says, she sleeps 162 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: with it underneath her, so you sleep with it. Part 163 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: of the reason that Catherine and sixty thousand asylum seekers, 164 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: mostly Central Americans, have been ordered to wait in Mexico 165 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:50,319 Speaker 1: is a surprisingly cooperative relationship between President Trump and Mexico's 166 00:11:50,360 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, better known as AMLO in Acarol. 167 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: In twenty eighteen, AMLO became Mexico's first leftist president in decades, 168 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: and at first, migrant advocates had high expectations. 169 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 4: Mexico's leftist presidential candidate, Andre es Manuel Lopez Operador is 170 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 4: in New York to show solidarity with his fellow countrymen 171 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 4: living in the city. He claims the Trump administration's immigration 172 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 4: crackdown is a violation of human rights. 173 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: It seemed like AMLO was really going to change things 174 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: right away. He created this fund to address root causes 175 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: of migration from Central America. He pledged thirty billion dollars 176 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: over the next five years. But then some began to 177 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: question how many of the progressive policies he talked about 178 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: could really be achieved. Then, in the summer of last year, 179 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: AMLO was put to the test. 180 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 6: So President Trump is increasing pressure on Mexico, demanding the 181 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 6: country does something to stop undocumented immigrants from crossing the border. Overnight, 182 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 6: President Trump tweeted the United States will impose tariffs on 183 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 6: Mexico until the flow of migrants stops. 184 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 1: At first, AMLA refused, but as pressure intensified and with 185 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: Mexico's economy under threat, he had a surprising change of heart. 186 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 6: After ten days of threats from President Trump to levy 187 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 6: tariffs on Mexican products, mister Trump announced Friday night that 188 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 6: he had struck a deal. 189 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: The deal was to work with Trump on immigration enforcement. 190 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: AMLO agreed to a plan to greatly expand MPP the 191 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: remain in Mexico policy, and to begin using Mexico's newly 192 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 1: minted National Guard to patrol the border and detain migrants. 193 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: It had been sold to the public as a force 194 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: that would deal with crime and corruption issues. By September 195 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: of twenty nineteen, Mexico announced it had reduced migrant movement 196 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: north towards the US border by fifty percent. And this 197 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: collaboration between the US and Mexico has led to a 198 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: situation that has put asylum seekers lives on the line. 199 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: That's coming up. Stay with us, Yes, Welcome back to Latino, USA. 200 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: I'm Maria Jossan. Let's return to part one of The 201 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: Moving Border, our award winning series from twenty twenty. 202 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 7: Let's see what's. 203 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: At the port of entry by the border. I'm waiting 204 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: for Attorney Linda rivas Hi. Hi, Linda Maria to me too. 205 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 7: I'm the executive director at Las America's Immigrant Advocacy Center, 206 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 7: and we're You're a thirty two year old legal nonprofit 207 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 7: in all pass to Texas and as of the remain 208 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 7: in Mexico programs starting, a lot of our work is 209 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 7: now on this side of the border, into the acquatas. 210 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: Linda takes me to see another piece of Trump's policy 211 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: wall in action. Where are we described where we are. 212 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 7: You cross the bridge and you just turn the corner 213 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 7: and it's kind of hidden in here, and it's called 214 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 7: the GAEME. 215 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: Gayeme, which is the Center for Comprehensive Migrants Services, is 216 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: a state run agency that acts as a processing center 217 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: of sorts for migrants in what is now Its goal 218 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: is to provide a one stop shop where migrants can 219 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: apply for social services, where they can get legal assistance. 220 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: And also this is. 221 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 7: Also where people are being metered. 222 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: Metering is another way the US and Mexican governments are 223 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: collaborating on border policy, even if it's a little unofficial. 224 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: So what metering means simply is that US officials have 225 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: been arbitrarily limiting the number of people who are allowed 226 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: to present themselves at the border each day to ask 227 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: for asylum. 228 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 7: They're not letting them physically step foot into the United 229 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 7: States to legally seek asylum. They're saying we're full, go away. 230 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 7: And when they say we're full, go away. There suddenly 231 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 7: a system emerged that was like, Okay, we're taking thirty 232 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 7: people today, we're taking ten people today, We're taking no 233 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 7: one today. 234 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: Once the US started taking fewer people, it caused a 235 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: huge backlog of migrants waiting in Mexico to ask for asylum, 236 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: and that's when the list began. It started as a 237 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: kind of makeshift list in a migrants notebook well over 238 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: a year ago, with new people arriving every day. It 239 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: kept track of who was here first and whose turn 240 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: it would be to go to the border and speak 241 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: to a US officer to present their claim. It was 242 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: the way migrants could take some control of the situation 243 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: and keep some order while they waited. Eventually, in what 244 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: is this government office took charge of the list. CBP 245 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,479 Speaker 1: receive as personas. 246 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 3: Nos Camels and Illumero. 247 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 5: Bentiocho. 248 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 1: CBP will see ten people today. Number nineteen thousand, four 249 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty eight. A Mexican official calls this out 250 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 1: to a large room quatra pjuatrocentos treenta. The person holding 251 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: the number approaches the official to say that they're here. 252 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: Quatrosrent you know, quatros quatros quatro. An official later tells 253 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: me that at its highest point, there are over six 254 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: thousand people on the list at once waiting for their 255 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: number to be called. Right now there are just two 256 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,959 Speaker 1: hundred names of people waiting on the list. It's another 257 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 1: sign that the policy wall is doing the job it 258 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: was meant to do. And even though we saw it 259 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: happening ourselves, Mexican officials won't admit on the record that 260 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: they're managing the list. They know that working with the 261 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: US on this would be controversial. 262 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 7: And so this has been a pretty unofficial cooperation between 263 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 7: the two governments to what the United States is trying 264 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 7: to control the flow with. I believe no. 265 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: Justification, Riva says. Metering and the remain in Mexico policy 266 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: work hand in hand. Metering keeps asylum seekers in Mexico 267 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: waiting for their number to be called, and once it 268 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: finally is, the remain in Mexico policy then draws out 269 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 1: that weight. The problem is the US has exported a 270 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: key responsibility for dealing with highly vulnerable refugees their immediate 271 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: safety and protection. Mexico is left to figure it out 272 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 1: and they have no requirement to prove anything is being done. 273 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: What Mexico has done is this, migrants on MPP are 274 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: now given a document which protects them from being deported 275 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: from Mexico while their case is pending. If they want 276 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: to work legally in Mexico while they're waiting or access healthcare, 277 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: they have to request something called a group, which is 278 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: basically like a temporary Social Security number, but it only 279 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: lasts six months. And whether they can get this document 280 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: in every border city or if it can be renewed, 281 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 1: depends on who you ask. 282 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 2: I think that reflects the fact that on paper things 283 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 2: are way and then in practice with some others. 284 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: That's Maureen Mayor, she's an advocate at the Washington Office 285 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: on Latin America. She says Mexico is getting by providing 286 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: the bare minimum for those waiting under MPP. 287 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 2: The Mexican government really promised originally to look at opportunities 288 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 2: for employment and other services. We really haven't seen that 289 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 2: panout at the border or elsewhere. 290 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: In Quitas Mexico's government has what they think is attempting 291 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: offer for those who have been forced to remain in 292 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: the north of Mexico and fear the high levels of 293 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: crime here. They're offering a free bus rite to the 294 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 1: south of Mexico while they wait out their process. 295 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 2: The one way ticket, you have to figure out on 296 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 2: your own how to get the funds to bust yourself 297 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 2: back up to the border. And obviously that poses the 298 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 2: question to what happens if your hearing date changes. So 299 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: it's I think it's for the most part, a program 300 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 2: that the mexicanument adopted to try to get people out 301 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,199 Speaker 2: of the northern border. But if they're really concerned about 302 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 2: supporting this population, you wouldn't send them all the way 303 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 2: back to southern Mexico. 304 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 1: This is an instance where Mexico isn't just a passive 305 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: bystander to a US policy that pushes asylum seekers away 306 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: from the US border. This is one that Mexico has created. 307 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: Meyer thinks the point of the bussing program ultimately is 308 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: to convince people to just give up on their asylum claims. 309 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 2: Maybe if we can make it so uncomfortable and unbearable 310 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,120 Speaker 2: to stay there, people just go home. 311 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: But for those who still decide to stay, the end 312 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 1: result of this policy wall we've been talking about is 313 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: that asylum seekers are stuck on the border for long 314 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: periods of time, living in shelters, in an ambiguous legal status, 315 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: and that adds up to a situation that puts them 316 00:21:51,200 --> 00:22:02,719 Speaker 1: at risk. Which leads me to the story of M 317 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: and her seven year old daughter A. We're referring to 318 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 1: them by their first initials for their protection. Linda introduces 319 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: me to them at the Migrants Center, and later I'm 320 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 1: invited to visit M at the house where she's staying 321 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: to hear their story in a little bit more privacy. 322 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,479 Speaker 1: They're living with an employee from the shelter, and in 323 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: return for a bedroom that she shares with her daughter, 324 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: she has to clean the house and keep things tidy. 325 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: Em says she traveled with her daughter as well as 326 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: her husband and young son from Monduras. Somewhere along the way, 327 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: they were split up and M continued north with her 328 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: daughter alone. Then she tells me they were kidnapped just 329 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 1: hours after they arrived in what is do ye yeah 330 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: me i meri. 331 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 8: Isunayama. 332 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: Em says she was sitting at a bus stop with 333 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: her daughter on the outskirts of the city, trying to 334 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: get downtown. It was dusk and by now it was cold. 335 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 1: They didn't have coats, which is the easiest way to 336 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: spot new arrivals to what is during the winter months. 337 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: Em says that a man sat down on the bench 338 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 1: next to her and asked where she was heading. Then 339 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 1: he got up and made a phone call, and a 340 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:42,360 Speaker 1: few minutes later, a truck pulls up, a man gets out. 341 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: He flashes a gun and tells her to get in 342 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: with her daughter. Em says that they were taken to 343 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: a warehouse where ten other migrants were being held. She 344 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: says the kidnappers contacted their families for ransom money. Em 345 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: says when the kidnappers take people out of the warehouse, 346 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: they never came back. One day, they came for her, 347 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: crammed her and her daughter, a and a few others 348 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 1: into the backseat of a car. She says, when they 349 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 1: got caught in traffic for a moment, she knew it 350 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: was now or never, since no ransom had been paid. 351 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: She managed to push open the car door and run 352 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: away with her daughter. The mom tells me that a 353 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: good Samaritan takes them to a shelter. It was so 354 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: packed there weren't enough beds or blankets, so mother and 355 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: daughter were forced to sleep on the floor in a 356 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: room full of strangers. Mucha hein Mucha he has Navies 357 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: and then one night at the shelter, something horrible happened. 358 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: Em says her young daughter woke up next to her naked, 359 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: and she believes her daughter was sexually assaulted. She took 360 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: her daughter to the doctor and tried to report this 361 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: to the police, but she says when they saw her 362 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: enduring i D they refused to take down a report. 363 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: Em says this entire thing has been eating away at 364 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 1: her ever since. 365 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 8: Kive It Mah who knew ka Mi Si who's kas. 366 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: Em says she feels guilty. After all, she left Hondudahs 367 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: to protect her kids and give them an education. She 368 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: says she had no way to know everything that they'd 369 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: go through, and still after all of this, they haven't 370 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 1: even been able to get into the United States, even 371 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 1: though the Remain in Mexico policy is supposed to make 372 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: an exception for migrants who are in very vulnerable positions. 373 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: M and her daughter twice victims of crime in Mexico 374 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 1: were told that they must remain in Mexico for however 375 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 1: long it takes for the United States to decide their case. 376 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: In the beginning, when Linda Rivas, the lawyer, first started 377 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: representing them, they were hopeful. But now the mom says, 378 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,920 Speaker 1: after her last hearing, she doesn't know what to think anymore. 379 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: The judge, she says, seemed like he didn't even care 380 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: to hear what had happened to them. And A, even 381 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 1: though she's only seven years old, she's picking up on 382 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 1: all of it. 383 00:26:55,480 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 8: A mediica Mommy, Joanna Creoke no de herpasarqui yellow. 384 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: The little girl tells her mom now that it's all 385 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: a lie, that the United States will never let them in. 386 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: She's clearly been affected by everything that they've gone through. 387 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: Her mom says that now her daughter rarely sleeps through 388 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: the night. As I was leaving, I decided to give 389 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 1: this little girl a beaded prayer bracelet that I was wearing. 390 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,360 Speaker 1: I tell her that she can count the beads at 391 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: night when she can't sleep, just the way that I do. 392 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: Juan Luezo, And then all of a sudden, the little 393 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 1: girl grabs her long hair, covers her face with it, 394 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 1: and she starts telling me that she's always dreaming about 395 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: her mom being kidnapped again. That's why she wakes up 396 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: crying in the middle of the night. 397 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 3: Him le. 398 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: Mohammada, we didn't eat, she says. Then she tells me 399 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: that they were there for five days, that they mistreated 400 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: her Mom yelled at her, pushed her, told her that 401 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: they'd be killed if they didn't pay. 402 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 3: Karo imre. 403 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: Then she says she can't stop thinking about all the 404 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: other people in the car who didn't get a chance 405 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: to escape. She says, do you suppose by you that 406 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: God will help them? A comfort phrase she's likely heard 407 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: during these fearful times in her life. And had told 408 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: me that her daughter A dreams of becoming a doctor. 409 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: So I looked at A in her eyes and I said, 410 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: I know you can become that doctor that you dream 411 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: of becoming. I know you can do it. Okay, see, Pipians, 412 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: it's being defeacid, Okay, he said, Okay. Kidnappings aren't new 413 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: in Mexico, but the number of violent attacks on migrants 414 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 1: are increasing. Over the last year, more than a thousand murders, 415 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: ra papes, and kidnappings were reported in Mexico by migrants 416 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: on MPP the remain in Mexico policy, and these are 417 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: just the reported cases. Advocates like Maureen Meyer say the 418 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: numbers are likely much higher. 419 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 2: There's so many cases that are documented of assilnce seekers 420 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 2: under the program that are magicians of kidnapping, sexual assault, exploration, robbery. 421 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 2: That is also the responsibility of the Mexican government. The 422 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,719 Speaker 2: Mexican government accepted this program that the US was implementing 423 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 2: there and has done very little to ensure that anyone 424 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 2: under the program is being adequately protected, is given access 425 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 2: to shelter or any of the basic public services that 426 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 2: they need to be able to safely stay and pursue 427 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 2: their clients. 428 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: On top of that, the chances of getting asylum approved 429 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 1: are extremely low. Just zero point one percent of MPP 430 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: cases have been granted, and since COVID nineteen began the 431 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: situation is even more bleak. Most have had their asylum 432 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: hearings postponed indefinitely as immigration courts shut down in the US. 433 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: That includes the case of m and A and the 434 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: asylum list that's done too. Restrictions are so tight now 435 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 1: that since late March, less than a dozen asylum seekers 436 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: have been allowed to enter into the United States. We're 437 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: in the desert, so we've been hot all day. You know, 438 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 1: it's been super warm all day. The sun is just 439 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: about to go down behind the mountains, and already the 440 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: temperature has dropped I don't know, ten degrees in a 441 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: matter of maybe fifteen minutes. But I'm already starting to 442 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: feel shivery to think that there were children sleeping outside 443 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: in these conditions. It's all about making this as difficult 444 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:05,720 Speaker 1: and as trying, and as it's just breaking you down, 445 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: it's wearing you down. These are human beings, you know. 446 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: I mean, we're tough, you know, but there comes a 447 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 1: point where you just say, I just can't do this, 448 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 1: And that's where it's just like, Wow, how many more 449 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: are gonna never try and walk away? My trip to 450 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: what Is illuminated a lot about how policy changes have 451 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 1: effectively turned Mexico into a place of permanent limbo for 452 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: migrants and in between world a kind of barrier itself 453 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: between them and the United States. The policy wall we've 454 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: talked about this episode pushes migrants deeper and deeper into 455 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: Mexico and away from the eyes of public accountability, but 456 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: stopping migrants at the northern order is only part of 457 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: the plan. Immigration opponents want to stop migrants long before 458 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: at the other end of Mexico, on its southern border 459 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 1: with wate Mala, in a place called Dapachula. It's Saturday, 460 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 1: January eleventh, and now I'm at the airport and I'm 461 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: getting ready to board a flight to Tapachula. I realized 462 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: that the only way to really understand what's happening at 463 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 1: this northern border is to go to a completely different one, 464 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: much further south. And there's another reason why I want 465 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: to go to Tapachula. One year ago, I met a 466 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: young migrant named Josue in Matamoros. He was my son's 467 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: age twenty three at the time, and he was living 468 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: under a bridge hoping for a chance to cross into 469 00:33:55,680 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 1: the United States. Over the year, he's kept in touch 470 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: with me, and the last time I spoke with him, 471 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 1: he was living in Tapachula trying to get back to 472 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 1: the United States. And I've been talking to him throughout 473 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: my trip, making plans to finally see him in Tapachula 474 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: and hear his story. But now I wasn't getting through 475 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 1: to him, and so now I'm calling him. Let's see 476 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: just rings and rings and rings and rings. So I 477 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: don't know, you know, did somebody offer him a trip 478 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: and he just said I'm out? Did he get kidnapped? 479 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: Did he get put into a detention facility? Was he 480 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: arrested because he's sleeping on the street. So yeah, this 481 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: is exactly what it looks like. This is what thousands 482 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 1: of people are going through, which is suddenly you're not 483 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: in contact with this person. They're gone. Let's see what 484 00:34:55,920 --> 00:35:05,240 Speaker 1: happens when we get to Tapachula. That's our flight. Okay, 485 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 1: that's our flight. My thanks to Julieta Martinelli for producing 486 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: that story with me. The movie Border series was produced 487 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,800 Speaker 1: in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, with additional support provided 488 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: by the Ford Foundation. This series was edited by Marlon Bishop. 489 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: The executive producer is Diane Sylvester. This episode was produced 490 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: by Julieta Martinelli, Fernando ca Marena, and myself. It was 491 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 1: edited by Marlon Bishop and mixed by Stephanie Lebau. Fact 492 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: checking for this episode by Amy Tardiff. The Latino Us 493 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 1: team includes Julia Caruso, Jessica Ellis, Victoria Strada, Rinaldo Leanoz Junior, 494 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 1: Andrea Lopez, Gruzsado, Luis Luna, Jodi mar Marquez, Marta Martinez, 495 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:15,319 Speaker 1: Mike Sargent, Nor Saudi, and Nancy Trujigo. Penilee Ramirez is 496 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: our co executive producer. I'm your host and co executive 497 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: producer Marieno Rosa. Remember you can find Latino USA on 498 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: your podcast speed and on our website Latthinousa dot org. 499 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:28,760 Speaker 1: And that's where you'll find extended versions of our stories 500 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: dropping every Friday and Sunday. Subscribe to Latino USA wherever 501 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,720 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. Join us again on our next episode. 502 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,880 Speaker 1: In the meantime, I'll see you on Instagram, Aki's YouTube, 503 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 1: dig Dog and all the social media out there. And 504 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 1: remember not tevayes bye. 505 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,800 Speaker 7: Latino USA is made possible in part by the Ford Foundation, 506 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 7: working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, 507 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 7: the Heising Simon Foundation Unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities more 508 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 7: at hsfoundation dot org, and the John D. 509 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 6: And Catherine T. 510 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 2: MacArthur Foundation