From the Border Report #4

On Saturday morning we had a close up view of the border near San Diego and its construction made of leftover military materials from the first Gulf War. On this tour sponsored by border human rights organizations, we saw the 14-miles of fence constructed as part of Operation Gatekeeper in the 1990s that runs from the Pacific Ocean inland. The goal of this construction was to cut off passage along terrain that is relatively easy to traverse. With this construction and that at other parts of the border, crossers have been pushed eastward to areas of difficult terrain, that has resulted in deaths due to high temperatures in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter.

One of our stops was at “smuggler’s gulch” which is relatively easy to traverse. But we could see first hand why crossers here are generally not successful. As our group exited our vans, we could see border patrol vehicles on the mountains, with personnel keeping an eye on the border and on us! The gulch itself is an environmental mess, with sewage flowing through the water that runs below.

We also traveled to the ocean beach where the fence begins. The area is beautiful, with a view of the ocean and a park/playground area. Parts of this fence area is actually chain link, rather than the ugly Gulf War materials. On the Tijuana side, is a bull fighting stadium. Common practice is for individuals from one side to come to meet and chat with folks from the other side through the fence. While we were there, a young man was speaking with a young woman who, at one point, threw a teddy bear over the fence to the young man. Within 5 minutes, two border patrol vehicles swooped up to the fence to corner the young man on the US side. The object of the officers’ attention was the teddy bear! Apparently, they wanted to make sure no contraband was tossed over. After several minutes, the young man was allowed to keep the bear, and the officers drove off, back to observation positions.

While at the border, we were reminded by our hosts that while the US side of the fence is plan and drab, the Mexico side of the fence is used as a canvas for artwork. Apparently, protest art, political statements, dream-like scenes are commonly the subject of innovative art that appears on the Mexico side.

As you look over the fence to the Mexico side of the fence, various populated neighborhoods abut the fence. Three primary colonias are in this area: Libertad, Zona Norte, and Playas de Tijuana. The origin of these colonias flows from Operation Wetback, the deportation program of the 1950s. Apparently, the deportees started these residential colonias.

Also, we learned that many of the coyotes or smugglers of old are revered as local folk heroes by many residents on both sides of the border. They provided good services for reasonable fees. Many served as part of the underground railroad of the 1980s, helping refugees who were fleeing from Guatemala and El Salvador. These older coyotes who are now retired, complain that smuggling has been globalized, taken over by cartels and, in many cases, cold-hearted lieutenants.

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