Final Day, Border Patrol and Operation Streamline

Bleary-eyed with an emotional hangover, we awoke at the late hour of 6:00 am, ate breakfast, and blasted back to the border.  This time to get an inside look on the enforcement side of immigration.  Under the jurisdiction of Homeland Security, Border Patrol's mission is to enforce U.S. border policy and stem the flow of illegal immigration and narcotics.  Several months ago, all members of our group received the security clearance necessary for an in-depth tour and Q&A session with the nation's largest and most active border patrol station.

We arrived carrying the plight of the immigrant in our heart, so the session started with a critical bias.  Officer Funke, whose duty of the day was ushering some Berkeley kids around their compound, was jocular with a small-town, Michigan-bred, can-do American confidence.  This lasted but a minute, because one of our students asked him why he became a border agent.  His answer shocked everyone: he joined to pay off student loans, and he chose Nogales because, "it had a Walmart."  Saint Mary's students asked so many good, hard, critical questions, that the tour bogged down before it even started; he quickly showed some mild annoyance.


Once the tour started moving, we walked into a gigantic video production studio where all 37 miles of Tucson sector of the border where under surveillance.  Alarms were triggered constantly, and scope and quality of the video was stunning.  Men and women were moving cameras, focusing shots, tracking down alarmed sensors, and talking to field agents, all with the efficiency of the production room at a college football game.


As the tour progressed, for some unknown reason we were granted access to the holding cells of migrants apprehended over the past 24 hours (Alma said this has never happened before).  As we walked through the room, time seemed to stand still.  The migrants slowly stood up and walked to the plexiglass wall and stared at us.  Most seemed to be of Indian decent, small stature, broad and high cheek bones, dark complexion.  We even saw a few south asian women (nobody could explain how or why they are in the Nogales detention facility).  Something passed between the EOL group and the migrants: both had the same feeling of helplessness, confusion, and a realization that something went terribly wrong somewhere. Something changed right there.  This was the before and after  moment.

We stopped in an even larger detention facility (no longer in use because apprehensions are down), and Officer Funke explained how efficient this area is for holding so many people.  One of our students couldn't take it anymore and started to cry.  This seemed to shake Officer Funke and he didn't know how to handle it.  At the same time, one of our students noticed a gigantic flag (60 ft. x 40 ft.) hanging over the holding cells.  The student asked, "why is that flag there? It seems like it's taunting the immigrants, like this is our country and you can't have it.  Officer Funke's answer was: "Are you an American?" His response helped sharpen the problem for us: while laws and border patrol may be necessary, is there a higher law that demands that we listen to the experience of the other and live with compassion.  Students continued to ask Officer Funke his views on immigration and what he would do differently, and he just kept repeating the same story: it's not my job to worry about that, I just enforce the laws as they're written.  I'm not allowed to share my opinion.  

After a quick tour of the horse division, our tour came to an end.  With a cordial goodbye and group picture, we left the facility with a sense that something was terribly wrong, not with border patrol, but with a world view that cannot take the other's experience into consideration (especially those that suffer).


We drove to a park and ate lunch.  There we tried to process and make sense of what we just saw.  Luke finally hit the nail on the head when he said, "it seems like something went wrong in the education of people like Officer Funke because he's either incapable or unwilling to see the experience of the other, to see the world from their point of view, to be as inclusive and open-minded as possible."  We began to sense that injustice exists because we can't "see" anything except our own needs and expectations.  Solutions to intractable problems won't come from systems that have an interest, but from educated people who can hold as many point of view in the mind at a single point in time.  This type of immersion education is one of the only ways to do this.


After lunch we raced to the Federal Court House to witness "Operation Streamline," a controversial program that seeks to criminalize immigrants and process them back to their country of origin.  It's run by Border Patrol, and many suggest that it's costing unnecessary billions to U.S. taxpayers and fattening the budget of new prison corporations and the Border Patrol.  


What we saw was, once again, a very efficient system.  More than 60 apprehended migrants were processed and deported in less than an hour, most getting off with time already served.  What we also saw--again--was most Indian men, shackled, heads down, humiliated.  They walked right in front of us, and many students struggled to make eye contact.  But what happened next was even more powerful.

After all cases were cleared, the Federal Judge started walking out of the court room and stopped in front of our group sitting in the gallery.  Everyone else had left.  He looked at us, asked us where we where from, and asked us what we wanted to know.  He was gruff and intimidating, with the full power of the Federal Court behind him.  He slowly opened up to us, and ended up talkikng so long that he needed to pull up a chair.  Finally, Ariadna asked the money question, "do you like what you do?" He said, "no, not really."  "So why do it," she shot back.  He looked at her long and hard and said, "someone's got to do it."  She persisted and asked why he didn't like doing it.  He then spilled the beans.  From his perspective, the whole immigration policy is rotten to the core.  Four things are wrong: 1) these people are not criminals, but merely trying to survive a ravaged economy that is partly the responsibility of U.S. trade policy and globalization; 2) this program to criminalize migrants does not deter them; the numbers are down because the economy is down; 3) Americans are to blame because we want cheap labor but don't want them to be a part of our culture.  He also suggested that violence around narcotics will only end when you (pointing at the students) stop smoking dope.  We create the demand and then punish them for supplying it. 4) We need an intelligent worker permit program so we don't spend so much money on enforcement.  Its humane and cheaper.  Straight from the Federal bench to Saint Mary's and El Otro Lado.


If that wasn't enough he ended with two other points: He said he can't change immigration policy (just like Officer Funke said), but only the students sitting in the room can do it by getting educated and becoming a part of the legislative process.  He then looked over both shoulders and asked if there were any reporters in the room, and said, "the real issue of immigration is that people are scared of the browning of America.  They're going to take over our country and some people don't like that."  With that, he put his cigar in his mouth and excused himself.  We were stunned.  

We then jumped backed in the vans and raced to El Fuente restaurant to listen to renowned immigration journalist and author, Margaret Reagan.  Ariadna read her book, "The Death of Josseline." 


So we blithely sent her an email requesting the meeting. She agreed.  We had no idea how famous, knowledgeable, and compassionate she was.  Palladino called it the highlight of the week because she so elegantly exposed the contradictions of our immigration policy while demonstrating a compassionate understanding the people who undertake this awful journey.  We bought all of her books and had her sign them, one of which will be presented to the Saint Mary's library.


Back at school by 6:00 pm, then off to the Brother's residence for a fantastic meal of Sonoran Sausages. We enjoyed the hospitality and yummy food, cool Tucson evening, and a mysteriously clogged toilet???  

Once back to San Miguel, the students prepared for an amazing talent show.  Chuck Norris jokes are still confusing to Mila.  But Whipped Cream from Las Vegas stole the show, but the show was rigged because Cassidy is a professional.  Sam's rap was, well, troubling, and Lila's friends kind of bailed on her on those high notes.  Oh yea, dig that Molotav, Alfonso.

After the talent show we had one last circle prayer, where students expressed what happened this week, what they were grateful for and what changed.  Palladino and Sutphin are blessed to have shared this experiences with the DREAM TEAM.  You guys have gifts that will change the world.

We presented Alma and EOL with a few cards and a signed copy of The Death of Josseline.  

Alma gave more of her hugs to everyone, and then we ended with one giant group hug.

The trip is ending, and we leave in the morning.  The next day we drove to Phoenix, ate lunch and bought some gifts for loved ones, and then flew home to family members cheering for us at the Oakland Airport.  It doesn't get any better than this.  

EOL has ended...