Destiny Beckles: Students and the Border Crisis

     Destiny Beckles

                                                            Students and the Border Crisis

           People cower in fear when they think others are above them. The people of Tijuana and students who live in Tijuana who are trying to seek asylum and trans border to work and school. The border in San Diego is becoming to crowded and CBP and military officials are trying to maintain the ciaos. The lines are getting longer and for students that work and have school, it is becoming a huge problem. It takes place everyday at the San Ysidro border. After 9/11, a crackdown at the border resulted in more walls, longer wait times, and harsher inspections and questionings. While closures and violence at the border are far from new, the last few weeks have seen an uptick in closures. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told VICE that there have been five incidents of lane closure since November 13, which were caused by the installation of “port-hardening materials”.

           Under Donald Trump, the government has cracked down further on the border, with the president seeking to restrict asylum seekers’ ability to come to the US, spreading fear about the Central American migrants now at the border, and demanding that a border wall be built. Students are afraid, they are losing their jobs and falling behind in school. The border crisis is a threat as thousands of people are waiting hours and hours. Children are waking up before the sun rises to wait for little hope of being allowed to enter the U.S.. Central American refugees are still waiting in uncertain conditions at the border, activists continue to provide aid and document the situation, and at least some of the troops are staying in place, where they could remain through Christmas.When it comes to the refugees waiting in camps in Tijuana for their chance to apply for asylum, many trans border students are conflicted.

“ If your illegal you shouldn’t be here.  I honestly don’t know. I don’t care about that stuff, I heard about some 7 year old dying.”- Antoine Wallace.  No one is helping these people that are trying to seek better lives and education. More and more people are trying to escape their current living conditions and they are relying on the border to help.

“Protecting a border is not a nice thing. It is not a matter of aesthetics; it cannot be done with flowers and teddy bears.” Viktor Orban