BBC News Brazilian Tragedy in Texas: Trucks and other dangerous methods immigrants use to enter the US 29/06/2022 16:37

Illegal immigrants risk entering the United States on routes that could lead to tragedies, such as when more than 50 people drown in a truck.

At the US-Mexico border, every immigrant has a price for smugglers.

Those with the fewest resources are the ones who take the riskiest journey, riding in cargo trucks to cover hundreds of kilometers in inhumane conditions.

Tragically, in some cases such travel—several hours in a crowded place with no ventilation or water—is fatal, occurring near San Antonio, Texas on Monday (27/6) where more than 50 migrants died in a truck. .

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“There is a whole chain in the migrant smuggling economy. Those who travel this way [em caminhões] “It pays the lowest amount smugglers want,” explains Gabriella Sánchez, a cross-border human trafficking researcher at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, USA.

At the other extreme are immigrants who pay huge sums to enter the US with less risk.

But in recent months, the desperation of many at the border over the restrictive policies promoted by the US government in the wake of the pandemic has made them willing to take more risks.

“This is a direct result of policies that make travel longer, more difficult or more expensive. And the desperation of people in border shelters is now so great that they are willing to die because for them death is long gone. Director of the immigration advocacy organization Angeles de la Frontera Dulce García told the BBC’s Spanish-language service, BBC News Mundo.

Truck route and much more

Sánchez says he needs “all day” to explain the myriad methods that migrants and traffickers use to cross the border.

However, the method of trucks full of men, women and even children is often used by “coyotes” because they are more likely to go unnoticed.

The border between Mexico and the USA has a very heavy traffic of goods. Cargo vehicles travel across borders and also on highways in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

“There are thousands every day. CBP [Customs and Border Protection, autoridade de imigração dos EUA] It’s not equipped and it’s not even your job to inspect every vehicle,” explains Sánchez.

“That’s why ‘coyotes’ use these kinds of tools a lot, because they know they’re very unlikely to be audited,” he says.

And smugglers make bigger profits by taking more people on a single trip.

“There is a very clear correlation between people who travel more safely and the money needed to cover expenses,” Sánchez says.

One of the ways to cross the border without your own document is to use a valid border crossing card that belongs to someone else who has legally obtained it. But there is a risk that it will be discovered by the authorities.

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Others pay to hide in small vehicles with less danger compared to trucks.

“Smugglers don’t pay everyone the same. It doesn’t matter if you come from the same city, it depends on many factors: your age if you’re a man or a woman…”, says Sánchez.

For the “coyotes”, their main purpose is profit – not a guarantee of bringing immigrants safe and sound.

Immigration rights activist Jenn Budd, former head of the US Border Patrol unit, told the BBC that smugglers tend to load as many migrants into vehicles as possible.

He remembers a case when an old Ford truck blocked his way on a mountain road near the border. There were about 30 people in the car’s load – lying on top of each other and stacked.

“They were lying there like sardines. It’s dangerous. These trucks can tip over. People in the back of the vehicles often drown. It’s very common.”

The final step

Vehicles are not only used to cross the border. They are often used to bring immigrants to major cities where it is easier for an immigrant to disperse.

Because Texas is closer to the areas most Mexican immigrants come from, the US state has become the most popular route for “coyotes.” In the cities of Laredo and McAllen, trucks usually head to San Antonio.

There have been tragedies in this region, such as on Monday or in 2017, when eight of a group of 39 immigrants suffocated to death in a truck.

In the most recent case, says Sánchez, “people were probably already on the US side when they got into such a truck.”

“For example, on routes like Laredo almost all trucks go through a detector. So – this will need to be confirmed later – I’m guessing a lot of people were already on the US side and got into that vehicle there.”

Jenn Budd notes that in most cases, migrants are already weakened after crossing the border on foot on rough terrain.

“The smugglers say the walk takes 15 or 30 minutes. But it can actually take days. And people are already dehydrated.”

“A pass can cost around US$5,000 (more than R$25k). But it is very important to know that costs vary widely and often this amount has not been paid yet,” says Sánchez.

People often make deals with “coyotes” to pay them when they arrive at their destination.

‘A few days left until the next tragedy’

Despite the dangers, the number of immigrants reaching the US-Mexico border is at an all-time high.

In May of this year, 239,416 immigration arrests were recorded in one of the biggest waves of recent years.

Dulce García says there have been people in shelters on the Mexican border who have been waiting for nearly two years for refugee applications to be accepted in the United States.

“I can’t speak for the entire border, but at the 17 points we support, immigrants are so desperate they have attempted suicide,” says Garcia.

In the past, it cost a few hundred dollars to pay a smuggler, but now the value averages between US$8,000 and US$10,000 (R$40,000 to R$50,000), the director of Angeles de la Frontera says. And risking the cheapest trip is the affordable option for most.

Sánchez says she became a model after events like the one in San Antonio.

“Things may calm down a bit in the coming days because there will be a lot of inspections, raids, more people watching at night. But the next tragedy is a few days away.”

The “only solution” for the expert is for governments to offer “mechanisms to legally travel regardless of nationality, race or social status”.

“It’s the only way there is no demand for smugglers. I know it sounds simple, but without this freedom of access there will be another ‘San Antonio’ ​​in a few weeks.”

– This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-61978527.

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