I've spent the last two weeks hiking the migrant trails in southern Arizona. Camped out in the desert with no plumbing or electricity was an adventure for me. I worked with an organization called "No More Deaths" to drop gallons of water along the trails in the desert.
What has consistently amazed me out here is the never ending struggle for water. I have never talked so much or heard so much talk about water- the cost, the supply. Its something that is so easily taken for granted, and yet has so much control over life an death.
One of the more moving days was when we hiked to Red Hill Tank area to Josseline's Shrine. She was found next to this spot last January, with her feet in a puddle and her little shoes laying next to her. At 15 years old she was crossing the Arizona desert with her little brother and a group of people. When she couldn't keep up she sent her brother for help, and she managed to survive two weeks on her own somehow.
On Friday I attended "Operation Streamline" at the Courthouse in Tucson. 70 migrants were criminally convicted of illegal entry, or re-entry in about a one-hour session. And this happens every day of the week. 15 attorneys, 70 defendants (all in shackles) sentenced for up to 180 days in prison. Afterward we met with the Public Defender's office and she quoted operation streamline as costing Arizona over 10 million a month, along with $2000 a month for each migrant serving time in prison.
I keep seeing Billboards for John McCain saying "Fighting for a Secure Border" around Tucson. His solution seems to add more militarization and more tax payers money to anything and everything to do with the border.
On Thursday, July 29th SB1070 is set to go into effect in Arizona. I will be traveling up to Phoenix to document the protests, and see what happens. Then starts my road trip along the rest of the length of the border.
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