- The Gift of Time
- Dying to Cross
- The Other Face of America
- No Borders; A journalist's Search for Home
- The Latino Wave
| BOOKS
SUMMARIES AND REVIEWS |
DYING TO CROSS: THE WORST
IMMIGRANT TRAGEDY IN AMERICAN HISTORY
 (Rayo,
An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; April 2005;
$19.95;Hardcover) by the Emmy Award-winning
journalist and best-selling author Jorge Ramos, is a gripping
narrative account of the tragic deaths of 19 immigrants in Texas
as they tried to make their way across the Mexican-American
border, the 54 survivors of this odyssey and the group of
coyotes (human traffickers) responsible for the crime.
On May 14th, 2003, the familiar
risk taken by hopeful immigrants illegally crossing the
Mexican-American border into the United States took a tragic
turn. At least 73 illegal immigrants bound for Houston were
crammed inside a sweltering truck trailer, which was found
abandoned near Victoria, Texas. In the end, nineteen people
died, including a 5 year-old boy who was found embracing his
father. Bodies were found, stacked, each human body slumped over
the other in what was described as a “human heap of
desperation.”
At the root of this grisly tragedy is 25 year-old Karla Chavez
who, after months of investigation, was accused by the
authorities to be the leader of the “human trafficking cell”
responsible for the tragedy. Thirteen more people were also
detained in Mexico and the United States. May will mark the
second year anniversary of this tragic event.
In a thorough narrative, Jorge
Ramos dissects the events that lead so many people to enter into
an agreement with the coyotes, hoping for work and a
chance at a better life in the United States. This story is a
keen reflection of the larger immigration issue which is sure to
garner front page news as the Bush White House has made it a top
priority in its second Administration. Should new legislation
be passed? What should comprehensive immigration reform
include? What is the possibility of an amnesty? What are the
benefits and drawbacks of having 10 million undocumented
immigrants in the US? Can the U.S. border really be sealed from
terrorists?
This tragedy repeats itself every
19 days. On average every single day one immigrant dies the
border while one thousand cross the border illegally and stay in
the United States.
Jorge Ramos’ expert opinion and
passion for this hot-button topic, as well as the publication of
Dying to Cross, make both the author and the book a
perfect entrée from which to address a topic which touches the
lives of so many individuals.
Most Notorious Immigration Events
Along the Mexico/U.S. Border
May,
2003 /Victoria, Texas
19 undocumented immigrants die
after spending four hours inside a truck container; 17 are found
dead, and two more die from complications in the hospital later
on.
October, 2002 /
Denison, Iowa
The decomposed bodies of 11
immigrants are found in a locked-up railway car.
June, 2002 /
San Diego, California
Six out of 24 immigrants traveling
inside a van die in a car crash after their driver, who is also
believed to have been their coyote, began driving on the wrong
side of the highway.
May, 2001 /
Arizona Desert
14 undocumented immigrants die in
the desert to the east of Yuma, when they are abandoned by their
coyotes.
December, 1999 /
New Mexico
13 of 17 immigrants traveling in a
van die in an accident close to the border.
July, 1987 /
Sierra Blanca, Texas
18 Mexican immigrants die in a
railway car; one person survives.
DONATIONS
A
portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the
following immigrant-advocacy organizations:
TEPEYAC
(NY)
251 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10011
Contact: Joel Magallan
tel: 212-633-7108 / cel: 347-203-9361
email:
joelmrsj@aol.com
Website:
www.tepeyac.org
* Will be the first donation to go
towards the funds for new Tepayac buildings
The Tepeyac
Association is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 network of 40 community
based organizations, whose mission is twofold to promote the
social welfare and human rights of Latino immigrants,
specifically the undocumented in New York City. The Association
Tepeyac is also dedicated to inform, organize, and educate
Mexican immigrants and their families about rights, resources,
and processes to develop leaders, organizations, and
communities, to built a great Mexican community, integrated to
all races and cultures in New York. Founded in September, 1997
by Mexican community leaders, the Association is the only public
resource dedicated to organize Mexican immigrants in the five
boroughs of New York City. Through its grassroots structure and
leadership the Association serves and influences over 10,000
members.
The
Association Tepeyac's Central Offices also serves as a social
service agency for those Latinos who cannot go to city agencies
because they lack proper documentation. Those who are Spanish
speakers, undocumented immigrants live under inhumane
conditions, yet are ineligible for most services provided by the
city. The Tepeyac Association of New York responds to those
needs by organizing Mexicans to defend their human rights,
educate them concerning these rights, as well as foster a sense
of community through social, economic, and cultural activities.
Additionally, the Association’s monthly publication, El
Popocatéptl, serves to inform members about their rights,
services that Association and other organizations in the city
can offer them, and empowers their Mexican identity. Clearly
immigrants know that the Association is here to serve them. The
media is always paying attention about the situations, plans and
events that the Tepeyac Association is addressing to empower new
immigrants.
“Our tasks
are to organize, inform, educate and form new organizations with
their leaders tackling urgencies, necessities, and human rights,
empowering identities and communities. Maintaining a leadership
among Mexicans and pushing the development of the immigrant
community in New York State and City.”
WATER STATION (CA)
911 Skylark Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
Water Station
is a broadly based organization whose purpose is to prevent the
heat death of any persons in the El Centro Desert. We have no
political affiliation and volunteers come from many different
locations and occupations.
Water Station
was created to stop the large number of heat deaths in The El
Centro Desert. The heat kills more than 20 immigrants and
Americans every year in the region between Jacumba and Yuma.
With temperatures as high as 120 degrees fluids, shade and light
clothing are critical for survival.
The
organizations installs more than 340 simple
Water Stations. The maintenance of which requires four full time
employees working (40 hours per week), and numerous volunteers
on the weekends.
”
In the late Spring we install all the stations. Stations
consist of a 55 gallon plastic drum which we weight with rocks
and then add 7 individual gallons of water. A 10 to 30 foot
tall blue flag marks the location.
Stations are maintained through the Spring and Summer by teams.
Every week each Water Station is inspected, torn flags are
replaced, and water is replenished. Later in the Fall when the
desert cools off, the water stations are removed.”
HUMANE BORDERS
Humane
Borders, motivated by faith, will work to create a just and
humane border environment. Members will respond with
humanitarian assistance to those who are risking their lives and
safety crossing the United States border with Mexico. We
encourage the creation of public policies toward a humane,
non-militarized border with legalized work opportunities for
migrants in the U.S. and legitimate economic opportunities in
migrants' countries of origin. We welcome all persons of good
faith.
Humane Borders invites federal, state, tribal and county
organizations and agencies as well as individuals, churches and
humanitarian groups to join in and support our humanitarian,
life-saving efforts.
"We must
take death out of the migration equation."
Rev. Robin Hoover, Ph.D., President & Founder, Humane Borders.
JOVENES
INMIGRANTES POR UN FUTURO MEJOR:Chapter
of University of Houston
(TX)
10434 Huntington View Dr.
Houston, TX 77099
Contacts: Dr. David Johnston / Julita Rincon (Chapter @
University of Houston),
Tel: 713-917-3682 (General Offices)
Julita: 713-467-2581 / 832-298-3404
Julita’s Email:
julirincon@gmail.com
Dr. David Johnston’s Email:
djohnto2@houstonisd.org
Website: http://www.geocities.com/jifm2003
Jovenes
Inmigrantes por un Futuro Mejor (JIFM) is a grass-roots
organization that speaks for the rights of immigrants and their
families. It is formed by high school and college students from
different roots and cultures who share a will to succeed and a
desire to help their community.
JIFM helps
the immigrant community in Houston, TX in various issues (immigration
information, education, legal rights, etc.) and provides
them with any information that they may need.
COALITION OF IMMOKALEE WORKERS (CIW)
215 S. Miami St.
Immokalee, Fl 34142
or P.O. Box 603
Immokalee, Fl 34143
"The CIW is a community-based organization. Our members are
largely Latino, Haitian and Mayan Indina immigrants working in
low-wage jobs throughout the state of Florida.
"We strive to build our strength as a community on a basis of
reflection and analysis, constant attention to coalition
building across ethnic divisions, and an ongoing investment in
leadership development to help our members continually develop
their skills in community education and organization.
"From this basis we fight for, among other things: a fair wage
for the work we do, more respect on the part of our bosses and
the industries where we work, better and cheaper housing,
stronger laws and stronger enforcement against those who would
violate worker's rights, the right to organize on our jobs
without fear of retaliation, and an end to indentured
servitude in the fields."
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