Blog Entry #4

There’s a level of danger that the majority of people living in the United States, or at least those that are so vocal about their opposition to immigrants, face in their lives; for the typical suburban family, things like gangs, dehydration, or death by starvation aren’t everyday worries. The process of immigrating illegally, regardless of the moral situation, is undoubtedly an arduous one. As illustrated by the documentaries and movies we’ve watched so far, the road to America is often fraught with injury and death, not to mention violations of all other kinds, whether it be thievery or sexual assault. Riding on the Bestia seems like a death sentence; limbs cut off from the wheels of the train, women being violently assaulted, dehydration and starvation, spending all your willpower avoiding the legal authorities of whatever country you’re in, and so much more—it’s something that’s even difficult to fathom for me, living that life for weeks or months, especially as a typical suburban American citizen.