By Michelle Ramirez
March 14,2023
Our second day on the trip, we drove to the US-Mexico border in Nogales, AZ, at the Mariposa Port of Entry. We walked into Mexico and made our way to the Kino Border Initiative (KBI). I have crossed the US-Mexico border before in El Paso, TX, where it is very easy to see Ciudad Juarez on the other side. Once you’re in Ciudad Juarez, you can see El Paso clearly. This time it was very different. Walking towards Mexico, you cannot see what is on the other side. We walked about a mile before we saw the KBI and a small corner store. Once in Mexico, we could no longer see the gas station on the US side, enforcing an “Us vs. Them” mentality that can be seen in our current immigration laws. As we walked up to the KBI, we saw migrants sitting outside waiting for a plate of food. Children were playing and drawing, not completely aware of the situation they were in. Mothers held their sleeping children in their arms. It was a heartbreaking sight.
As we walked inside, everyone greeted us with smiles, especially the children. Despite their difficult situation, they seemed in good spirits. We met the director of operations, who explained to us that KBI is a binational, inclusive organization located in both Nogales, Sonora, and Nogales, Arizona that helps migrants who have been deported or are fleeing from their home countries. They offer food and shelter, help them get back on their feet after their dangerous and difficult journey, and create a community for the migrants so they can help each other get jobs and share phones. We saw families working on their CBP One applications on their phones, trying to get an appointment so they could obtain asylum and enter the US. We met a migrant from Cuba who was a doctor who helps administer COVID tests for arriving migrants. In the US, we often hear that migrants just want help handed to them, but the KBI does a great job of helping migrants remember that they are human beings and deserve to be treated as such.
We drove to another point of entry, paused for a taco lunch, and shared our feelings about what we saw at the KBI. Then we walked along the border fence. In Mexico, as people in that area walk out of their homes or look out the window, the border fence is the first thing they see. As horrible as it is to look at, people have left many beautiful messages on it—including notes about how the borders should be taken down and that dreams won’t be stopped by borders. It was surreal to walk along the thing that divides us, and also to see how dedicated people are to this fight.
As heartbreaking as it was, I am very thankful for the opportunity to go on this trip. It was eye-opening and it helped me remember why I am in law school. It was the push I needed to keep going and stay motivated, so that one day I can do the same work as the Florence Project is doing. It was truly inspiring.
