This December marks the 1st anniversary of the Journey for Justice organized by Witness at the Border. On December 2, 2022, a group of activists and community members set off on a 2,200-mile-long journey to advocate for migrant rights. The group began their journey in Brownsville, Texas, and ended at San Ysidro, California on December 18, 2022. While traveling through the borderland, members of the Journey for Justice spoke with activists doing hands-on work every day to help migrants. The goal of Journey for Justice was to honor the lives of migrants who have suffered and died due to the chaos created by unjust migrant policies and deterrence instead of welcoming migrants. Many of the members and activists were particularly moved by the countless cases of family separation that reached frightening new levels in 2018.
The migrant crisis has only gotten worse since then.
Antelope Wells — CBP Vehicles near the NM Border Wall. December 11, 2022. Photo: Francisco Mendoza
“In August 2023, 814 people were detained daily by the Border Patrol in the El Paso sector of the border. At the end of September, that number grew to 1,272 detentions a day. In a city where in 9 days 45 homicides take place, the people in transit are the most vulnerable. Recently, according to references from the media and the victims themselves, a group of people from Guatemala were gunned down by members of the armed forces. Two died, four were injured and none were detained.”
– Diana Solis Labrado, Derechos Humanos Integrales en Accion, AC, Incidencia, Análisis e Investigación
“In October 2023 President Biden allowed the waiving of 26 environmental laws to speed the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Texas. The waivers circumvent the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, among others. It’s the first time the Biden administration has used its authority under the REAL ID Act to waive environmental laws. This action breaks once again Biden’s campaign promise to not build ‘another mile of wall’. President Biden has violated his promise with wall construction projects from Friendship Park in San Diego, California to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.”
– Uriel Garcia, Texas Tribune
“In October 2023 the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector is once again holding hundreds of asylum-seeking migrants in makeshift open-air detention areas in violation of its obligations to Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP)national standards. These standards specify how CBP agencies, including the Border Patrol, need to transport, escort, detain, and search people under their custody. By not abiding by the national standards, it is placing migrants at risk of further harm.”
At least four open-air sites are located west of the San Ysidro Port-of-Entry and three more in the small desert town of Jacumba, about 60 miles east of San Diego, where resources are scarce. CBP officials are describing this as the “new normal.” It is concerning that degradation of human rights and demeaning treatment should be normalized for people seeking safety from harm.”
– Pedro Rios, AFSC
But Journey for Justice reminds us that during tough times, there are still people who continue to show up for the most vulnerable members of our communities.
While we hear about the politics regarding the border, rarely do we see the cruel reality migrants face when coming to the U.S. Activists along the border describe the never-ending need for donations, both physical and financial. Migrants are under constant surveillance and intimidation while also being expected to navigate the U.S. immigration system on their own.
Tornillo, TX — Border Wall December 8, 2022. Photo: Francisco Mendoza
After a tumultuous journey to the U.S. migrants face several barriers trying to adjust to this new country. Apart from the daily language barrier, they are expected to organize their travel plans on their own with no financial or logistical help from any government agency. For migrants who don’t have any family members already in the U.S., they are dumped on the street to figure things out. Activists and community members step in during this difficult time for people but with rapidly changing laws and limited financial help, there is only so much people can do when the government is not willing to help refugees.
Journey for Justice set out to travel along the border to not only remember those who have been victims of this systemic injustice but also to raise awareness about how truly difficult the challenges migrants face are. While injustice is not a new concept along the border, the recent political climate has only made matters more complicated. Please visit witnessattheborder.org for more information about Witness at the Border and the Journey for Justice. The Tribuno del Pueblo and People’s Tribune, sister publications, are proud to have partnered and participated with the Journey for Justice.
