Marcha Migrante VI

Today Marcelle, Kim, and I, met up with Isabel, Enrique Morones, and the other Border Angels volunteers to participate in the Marcha Migrante VI (March of the Migrants 6). We walked a total of almost 4 miles from a meeting place all the way down to Friendship Park. Friendship Park is not usually open to the public, however it was opened today for the special occasion. Once we reached the border, there was a large group of people on the other side of the border with posters who were chanting "reforma de imigracion ahora!" (immigration reform now!). Enrique was the first to approach the fence within the park and he gave a motivational call to action speech in Spanish that seemed to inspire the people on the Mexican side of the border as well as the American. We then walked down to the part of the fence that goes through the beach. Here the posts are wide apart and there is literally nothing from keeping the migrants from crossing over. They are technically allowed to come through the posts as long as they stay within about 20 yards of the fence. This area is considered the "no man's land" and Border Patrol is not allowed jurisdiction within that area. One man grew very heated at the rally and began to run toward our group down the beach. Instantly, Border Patrol on quads charged toward the man with their hands on their gun holsters yelling at him to go back. The man screamed and yelled and not until Enrique intervened and kindly asked the men to return to the Mexican side, did he go. It was very strange to think that because someone was born just 20 yards to far south, they are not nearly as privileged as we are and are not even allowed the chance to try and improve their lives here in the U.S. Border Angels is really exposing some truths that I am not sure am okay with accepting.

**4 Hours