While working at the respite center on Monday, we came across an NPR headline that read, “Trump Administration Implementing ‘3rdCountry’ Rule on Migrants Seeking Asylum.” This policy states, "an alien who enters or attempts to enter the United States across the southern border after failing to apply for protection in a third country outside the …
Author: halleyglier
Beware of Over-Sensationalizing
This Friday, Vice President Mike Pence is coming to McAllen to tour the Ursula Detention Center, visit the Rio Grande, tour the Anzalduas International Bridge, and be briefed by ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). At the same time, there is also a protest at 9am at Ursula, which we plan on attending. Last …
Representing the Migrant Crisis
A lovely gift I received while working the bar The first thing you see when entering the Catholic Charities Humanitarian Respite Center is what we’ve been calling “the bar.” The bar is where incoming immigrants receive their hygiene kits and everyone can request specific hygiene products such as diapers, sanitary pads, and suelo (Pedialyte). One thing you …
McAllen in the Media
Curious to see the border, four of us drove 15 minutes to Anzalduas Park at 8:45 on the 4thof July. The 96-acre park sat along the Rio Grande, decorated with swing sets, pavilions, and a pier. Totally free and open to the public, the park was quite beautiful and serene. I think we were all …
Anticipations
Borders have always been political symbols. For years (long before Trump), politicians have offered images of immigrants storming the border to explain the high levels of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. In reality, most of the undocumented population is people who overstayed their visa—people who came in legally. Further, borders symbolically represent the limit to a …
Los Traquerxs 