14 SPECIAL REPORT
SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don/eldonnews.org • MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
WAITING TO
CROSS
There is no path
to citizenship for
immigrants who
entered the United
States illegally.
11
million immigrants,
undocumented,
from Mexico were
living in the U.S in
2014.
46
percent of
immigrants report
having Hispanic
or Latino origins.
1
million students
have been approved
for Deferred Action
as of 2015
Source: U.S. Customs
and Immigration
Services.
BLESSING / Father Rodgers visits Friendship Park most Sundays to deliver a brief mass in hopes of keeping the park open. / Jose Servin / el Don
BORDER: FAMILIES STAY UNITED
Friendship Park is the only meeting point for those divided along the U.S-Mexico boundary
Continued from Page 11
Sometimes the gate to the trails in
the park is open and you can drive
up to the hill. But usually the path is
flooded with heavy sewage that takes
months to evaporate, Rodgers said.
The Catholic priest visits most Sundays, working with pastors from other
churches and activist organizations
to host a brief mass for visitors on
both sides.
Here, men of faith set aside their
theological disagreements to promote
the unification of families.
Like every visitor, Rodgers must walk
the 1.4-mile journey from a dirt parking lot at the entrance of Border Park
to the fence.
He is fearful that one day it might
close. Rain, heat and flooding of the
trail prevent visitors from coming,
Rodgers said.
Rodgers and Morones work closely
with UCBP and the immigrant community to bring awareness to the area.
Both are on the board for Border
Angels. The group is known for leaving water in the desert area around
the border crossing where many who
attempt to pass die of dehydration or
from the consequences of extreme heat.
They have organized events such as
the opening of maintenance doors on
National Kids Day every year so that
families can hug and meet each other.
Few are willing to do what the sisters
have done. A checkpoint that opens at
random times near San Clemente is
enough of a threat to people’s presence
in the U.S that it discourages many
from ever going past it.
Rodgers’ counterpart on the Mexican
side of the border collaborates with
him, along with a choir of three guitarists, to give mass.
The Mexican side is not a wasteland.
Instead, the border marks the end
of Plaza de Toros, a bustling market
place home to brass-laden Mexican
corrido bands whose music blares over
loud speakers. Scores of tourists walk
around, mingling with Mexican families hoping to catch a glimpse of their
loved ones across the wall.
Along with other immigrant-rights
activist groups, Morones hopes for a
reform in immigration policy.
He notes that with the 2016 elections
approaching and politicians like Donald Trump receiving support for an
anti-immigrant political platform, the
11 million who are undocumented in
the U.S need a leader.
Programs like Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals, which grants work
permits for students who meet certain
requirements, have made working
and getting an education easier for
undocumented students, or Dreamers.
Still, no real path to citizenship exists.
Crossing over is not an option.
“There’s always the question of why
these people don’t come over legally.
The truth is they can’t. These people do
not qualify for visas,” Morones said.