The Devil’s Highway
The immigrants have been faced by numerous challenges as they try to cross over to another country in search of refuge, many have lost their lives due to harsh conditions in the deserts or crossing the sea, while others are arrested in the border and deported back to their countries. The novel was written by Luis Alberto Urrea, the author lays emphasis on the challenges that are faced by the refugees trying to cross over the border from Mexico to the United States. The story is based on an incident that took place in May 2001 when a group of men made a deadly attempt to cross the United States border through the desert of Arizona. They had to undergo through many challenges given the harsh conditions of the desert in the Northern part of the American border. The northern desert of Arizona is considered as a very hot desert that even the border patrol does not even travel through it. The story highlights how twelve people managed to survive the harsh conditions of the desert to enter the USA from Mexico out of twenty-six members. This was recorded as one of the biggest group of refugees to die in the border.
The story was written to shed light on various challenges of the United States of America immigration and the relationship between the US and the Mexico. The author focuses on the challenges that the immigrants face that they prefer to take a risk and cross the border in order to live the American dream. Many immigrants prefer to cross the border because they think America is better than living in Mexico. The various challenges that the immigrants faces include lack of food because of the harsh conditions in their countries. They experience challenges in the hands of the border patrols that are very strict. The author states how the border patrols overlook those who are in a bad condition due to lack of food, water and shelter, he states “If the role of the Border Patrol was to arrest the lawbreakers, they could have also helped the immigrants and prevent them from dying” (Urrea, P35). The author shows how various immigrants lost their lives in search of better lives; some were running out of their country in order to make a better life.
The other reason that leads to many Mexicans trying to cross the border is the harsh working conditions in their country, poor pay and lack of employment are some of the challenges that led to immigration to the USA. Luis Alberto states that “If only Mexico paid their workers decent wage” this shows how they struggle in their country that many youths preferred risking their lives and entering the border into the US. The author paints a picture of injustices that occurs within the desert and the border between the US and the Mexico. The theme of betrayal is seen in the story as the narrator gives a story of the Mexicans who finds themselves wrapped up in a complex system of betrayal (Urrea, P56).
The immigrants were betrayed by their country because they were not offered means or methods of sustaining their lives. The desert and desolation is another theme that is seen in the book, as the author narrates how life was unbearable in the desert, the intense heat and the sun causes horrendous physical afflictions, some was lost and died in the desert. In conclusion, it is clear that the immigrants from Mexico and other countries faces various challenges as they try to enter the United States in search of greener pastures, many have lost their lives, others are arrested by the Border Patrol.
Works Cited
Urrea, Luis Alberto. The devil’s highway: A true story. Hachette UK, 2008.