Border Fence Mexicali- Imperial Valley border

 interesting place  Add category

 Upload a photo

The border fence was made in 1994, to separate Mexico and the United States in order to taper drug trafficking. According to Caitlin Krasner, “It is armored with stretches of steel and barbed wire fortified with infrared cameras, imposing watchtowers, and blinding floodlights, and is patrolled by over twenty thousand guards (HistoryofBorderFence).” Crossing the border through Mexicali, leads you to the Imperial Valley. Many Mexicans do not have the chance to go to the United States no matter how close they live by California. Many, who apply for Visas are rejected or are put through a process that takes months even years for them to obtain one. Mexicali residents call the United States “el otro lado” meaning “the other side”, describing how they see the United States as another world in the opposite side of the fence.
Going to the border fence to enter the United States can be very boring and the border’s system is very robotic. There is several ways you can enter the United States, it can be by foot or by car. The most popular way people go to the United States is by car. The cars have to wait in a line for a long time; usually one to three hours. Making line is always very time-consuming and annoying. Mostly when the temperatures are very hot, it makes the wait very difficult to tolerate. The scenery from your car window is not appealing or beautiful either. The surroundings are like seeing the worst of Mexico; everything looks so gray and sad. A large amount of poor homeless people and vandals walk by and beg for money. Other individuals offer to clean your windshields with the dirtiest towels ever. In the other hand there are vendors that sell delicious Mexican food, snacks, and candy. As well there are merchants that make and sell “artesanias” which translates to arts and crafts. These merchants that are called “artesanos” make beautiful, colorful, and interesting objects that make the waiting in line at least a bit vivid and entertaining. The brick red fence is visible when making line, which looks dull and prison like. Many Mexicali artists have beautified this fence by adding art to it. The art you mostly see in the fences are Mexican heroes, or just beautiful Mexican patriotic designs.
The crossing of the border fence is used for different reasons. Many people from Mexicali see the Imperial Valley as some sort of “high class” shopping spree opportunity. When making line to cross the fence, you see cars full of families smiling and wearing their nicest clothes. The stores at Imperial Valley are full of people of Hispanic decent wanting to see and be seen. While many in the Imperial Valley cross the fence to Mexicali to have a good time and party. The streets at night in Mexicali are very alive and full of lights. You see many young people parting in the many different types of clubs, bars, and cafes of Mexicali. Also, many cross the fence to Mexicali for medical attention. The streets where the best doctors, dentists, orthodontists, etc… are located are always full on weekend mornings. Additionally, many people of the Imperial Valley cross the fence to visit their families, go to work, or go to school.
One way the border fence is controversial is because a lot of people find ways to get or create fake passports to enter to the United States. People who commit this crime are constantly getting caught but, others have had the luck to actually pass to the United States safely. Also, a large amount of people have successfully climbed or tried to climb the fence. When waiting in the line to pass the border, it is not unusual to watch a person trying to climb up the border fence. Lastly, the border fence is a place where drug trafficking constantly happens. According to The Recovery Village, “…around 22,215 cases of drug trafficking were reported to the United States Sentencing in the 2014 fiscal year (TheRecoveryVillage).”
-Ivonne Camacho 2017