Stories of migration from some of the best young journalists in Mexico, Central America and the United States
Jennifer Collins and Manuel Ureste reporting from Mexico
A town in Chiapas close to the Guatemala border struggles to cope with new government security measures, funded by U.S. anti-narcotics programs. Ostensibly targeting illegal immigrants, townspeople say they feel like victims, since they are held up for hours at checkpoints, and even have their legal goods illegally confiscated.
Jan. 1, 2000
Zahit Salazar rises extra early on the days she goes to market. It used to take the 78-year-old a few hours to get from her house in Mexico's southern state of Chiapas to the market town near the border with Guatemala.
Now, it can take all day because of the checkpoints. She has to pass through at least 10 of them from five different government agencies.
"You waste more time on the freeway," Salazar says. "More time is lost."
Over the past few years, Mexico has ramped up its efforts to slow illegal activity, drug trafficking and unauthorized migration, along …
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Dec. 15, 2014
Bajese del autobus y baje la bolsa.
La voz metalica del agente de aduanas suena marcial, despota.
"Que se baje le digo!" el uniformado se impacienta al ver que la mujer tarda en moverse del asiento y en reunir sus cosas-.
Said Salazar, de 78 años de edad, asiente con la cabeza y como puede desciende por las escalerillas del autobus que la lleva de regreso hasta Tonala, el municipio chiapaneco donde vive desde hace tres decadas.
Al bajar del camion, la anciana se siente confusa y nerviosa: en sus mas de 15 años de viajes a Tapachula como comerciante, …
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