Posts

Day 6: Hasta Luego, Borderplex!

Image
Our last full day has officially come to a close. It was a bright and early morning as we drove to Jardín de Milagros to work in the fields of a non-profit farm that supports New Mexicans and Texans across multiple communities. Farmer Jerry Hobson has devoted years of his life to cultivating a farm that produces fruits and vegetables to be donated to people in need. We were able to do our part by helping to weed and uncover his chili crops (shown in photo). Soon, with our help, these will turn into delicious, spicy chilies.  After departing the farm, we had a quick lunch, then went to the beautiful town of Old Mesilla, enjoying ice cream, Billy the Kid trinkets, and savoring our last bits of time together. The biggest stop was the bookstore, where the group purchased matching chili bandanas, keeping the spicy theme of the day going (shown in photo). In the plaza was a gazebo surrounded by papel picado, and the group was able to enjoy the temperate weather and laugh together under i...
Read more

Day 5: A Vacant Campus & Tatooine

Image
Border Servant Corps Tour Today, we toured the Las Cruces campus of the Border Servant Corps, their last open campus since the Trump administration took office. Since there is no longer a way for migrants to enter the U.S. legally, the once-bustling facility now only hosted resounding silence. Walking the empty halls that were once filled with hundreds of migrants seeking a better life in the United States, we reflected on the impact of their passing presence. This impact was visible on walls laden with children's drawings and messages of hope and encouragement, but also evident in how vacant the campus felt without them. Just before lunch, a BSC team member ended our tour by showing us to a cafeteria, inside which was an expansive exhibit of stories and images of several previous residents of the facility. Reading their hopes and aspirations for a better future saddened us, as migrants like them could no longer enjoy the safety of the BSC campus, but also m...
Read more

Day 4: Guess Our Meal… Tacos, Tacos, and More Tacos

Image
This morning we started bright and early at 7:00 am! At breakfast we learned that our morning presentation unfortunately got canceled due to a cancelled flight, so instead we did a personality game based on 3 attribute cards that we each chose. We sorted ourselves into 4 categories: traditionalists, analysts, idealists, and experiencers. By that time it was 10:00 and we headed over to the farmers market.   It was surreal. We got to experience an authentic Las Cruces farmers market containing every trinket and treat from jewelry to Deathly Dark Dubai Chocolate. It was amazing to experience what it was like to go to the market and interact with the locals. It opened our minds to the different cultures of New Mexico. We loved getting to sample salsas, juices, honey, and more. Some of us even bought gifts for friends and family (cross your fingers it was for you). There were even stores selling mushroom powder, though we did not indulge. We then headed to lunch at Matteo...
Read more

Day 3: From Cactus Tacos to Border Diplomacy: A Day of Surprises in El Paso

Image
Today we started with a continental breakfast before amping up where we went over itinerary and concerns for the day ahead. From the Springhill Suites in Las Cruces we made the fifty-minute drive to El Paso, where we planned to meet with a representative of the Border Patrol. Although this representative cancelled at the last minute, we were able to spark a conversation with another agent while he was on the job. This experience was unfiltered, which led to a unique conversation where we asked questions and gained valuable information relevant to our research questions. After this serendipitous encounter we made our way to a scenic viewpoint where we could see both El Paso and its sister city Juarez. We took note of the evident institutional differences of each city and how that reflects the divergent cultures on either side. We then made our way to Cafe Mayapan where we bonded through fun table games and riddles. On top of the group bond...
Read more

Blogs del 20-22 de Mayo en Español

  20 de Mayo: Cruzando hacia la curiosidad: ¡comienza nuestra aventura en Borderplex! ¡Bienvenidos a la primera entrada del blog que documenta nuestra aventura en Menlo Borderlands: El Paso 2025! Durante los últimos dos días, la Dra. Hanson y yo hemos guiado a nuestro grupo a través de una serie de actividades de trabajo en equipo, lecciones sobre inmigración en la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México y sesiones de investigación profunda, todas diseñadas para ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar preguntas esenciales para sus proyectos finales. ¡Qué emoción! El programa Borderlands se propone ser una experiencia de autodescubrimiento, aprendizaje inmersivo y divertido. No se trata solo de aprender los pormenores de la política migratoria, sino también de forjar vínculos duraderos con la comunidad y encontrar nuevas maneras de comprender nuestro mundo compartido. El grupo ya está entusiasmado por el lanzamiento de estos proyectos en serio en el Borderplex, y esperamos que no...
Read more

Day 2: Rethinking, Reflecting, & Recharging!

Image
  Dear Parents, We've survived our first full day!! Contrary to popular belief, we are actually NOT in El Paso, Texas, right now. Don't worry, we are in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a nearby city, and it's been great. Our day can be categorized into three main themes: rethinking, reflecting, and recharging.  We started off our day in the Federal District Court of Las Cruces, where we watched 91 defendants appear in front of Judge Damian Martinez. Even before we entered the courtroom, we could hear the clanking of shackles: the defendants, now classified as criminals under the new administration, were shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles. In monochromatic jumpers labeled with their various detention centers on the back, they sat on the benches right in front of us. T went up to the microphones in groups of about ten, some represented by attorneys and others not. It was a mix of preliminary and detention hearings, though no hearing lasted over five minutes. Th...
Read more

Day 1: We Arrived!

Image
Finished with Day 1! We have officially checked into our hotel, and after a long day of traveling (through two states) and a brisk trot through the Phoenix airport, we are settling in. We were met at the El Paso airport by our WLS instructors who then drove us to Las Cruces, NM. After a review of states and their capitals, we did ice breaking and goal setting activities with our hosts from the Border Servant Corps (BSC). Now, we are hitting the hay to be ready for our big day tomorrow where we will visit an immigration court, visit the BSC campus, and interview a professor at NMSU who is an expert on immigration policy. --Hannah Bernthal
Read more