Students in the Borders & Immigration Expedition Course learn first hand about the complexities that surround the border between Mexico and the United States, as laid out in the course’s essential questions: What makes an American? An immigrant? Why is the United States a “first world” country and Mexico a “developing country?” What pushes people out of their home country and pulls them to the United States? What makes a border? What is the purpose of borders? What kind of conditions does the current Mexico-US border create? What issues arise? How did these dynamics come to be?
As part of the Extended Fieldwork portion of the course, our 9th and 10th grade students trekked to El Paso, TX and across the border to Ojinaga, Mexico, to observe segments of the U.S./Mexico border wall and to interact with people who live and work in the region.
Students spoke with Pastor Rose Mary from Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, who works with undocumented populations and refugees at her church in El Paso. The congregation is predominantly first–generation Mexican immigrants and their families.
"Being in El Paso and learning from Pastor Rose Mary was really cool. I was impressed with how open Pastor Rose Mary is. She's been through a lot of tragedy in her life and has turned that into doing good. She opens her church to absolutely anyone, giving them a place to stay when they need it. Her personal strength and her courage to speak out about immigration issues will stay with me forever." - Coulter ‘27
They also had the chance to meet with an immigration lawyer to discuss their work and to serve as volunteers for residents at Casa Vides, a home that serves undocumented mothers and children. Students were also given a presentation from the Border Network for Human Rights.
"The Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) works to protect the rights of people at the board and on immigration reform- their work is so good and beneficial. They started a program called the 3-Minute Hug. On one day each year, the border is opened for selected families who have been separated to hug and see each other for 3 minutes. That's all they get. And some of these families have been separated from each other for 6 or 10 or 20 years. It made me think about how much I miss my family when I'm away from them for just one week on a Watershed trip. I am always so glad to see them again and to hug them and to tell them all about what's been going on. I can't imagine how painful it would be to be separated for years with no ability to connect in person. I'm glad BNHR does this program. It also made our group ask, "What other solutions could we have for families who are separated? Could there be some shared spaces that are available more often?" - Ada '27
See a trailer for a documentary about the 3-Minute Hug here.
Students ate lunch with a mixed status family in the Hueco Tanks colonia, integrating the experience with a discussion about the economics of living below the poverty line in this type of environment while trying to establish a new life in the United States.
Five hours from El Paso, students settled into the Redford Community Center, where they got to meet local historian and archaeologist, Barbara Baskin. They also had the opportunity to learn how to cook a traditional Mexican meal using a recipe devised by local historian and activist Enrique Madrid and his wife, Ruby.
"I loved our cooking experience at the Redford Community Center. We learned how to cook tortillas and traditional refried beans. It was fun and delicious!" -Bodan '27
Across the border in Ojinaga, Mexico, our students visited the Escuela Secundaria Estatal #3022, a public school for grades 6-9, where they participated in cross-cultural activities, dancing, and games with the local students, followed by a traditional platillo lunch to end the experience.
