CBC News: the fifth estate: Run For Your Life

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the fifth estate: Run For Your Life
The Destination> Printer Version

Broadcast February 11 & 18, 2004

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY REACH 'EL NORTE'?

REACHING CANADA: Canada has a world-wide reputation for it's tolerant policies towards refugees. Many immigrants who reach here file a claim for refugee status. Their case is referred to the government-appointed Immigration and Refugee Appeal Board.

48% of about 40,000 refugee claims annually are turned down in Canada.

The board makes a decision based on the claimant's background and what dangers might exist in the country they are fleeing from. People from countries which have a poor human rights record (like Columbia) have a better chance of being accepted than people from countries which have acceptable human rights records (like Honduras).

While waiting for the board's decision the refugees are not detained (unless they have a criminal background) and are allowed to collect provincial welfare and use health care services.

Many refugees - about 48% - who make a claim are not accepted into Canada. They are then deported back to their home country.

36,000 refugee claimants who were ordered deported in the last five years are still living in Canada.

The government estimates that about 8 percent of the foreigners who come to live in Canada live here illegally. Most of them are people who have had unsuccessful refugee claims and visitors who have overstayed their visas. The Canadian government has simply lost track of them.

It's estimated that there are 200,000 'undocumented' people (non-Canadians without a permit to stay here) working in an 'underground' economy. The lower wages that these illegals workers are paid help keep some businesses profitable. They benefit Canadians who get cheaper child care and bargain renovations as a result. These illegal workers often fill the jobs that Canadians don't want; many of work in Ontario's construction sector.

There is now a growing political movement that is lobbying the federal government to acknowledge the existence of these illegal immigrants and grant them amnesty.

REACHING THE U.S.: The United States has an estimated nine million undocumented workers. About 30% of the people who go the the U.S. to work live there illegally. Most come across the border from Mexico.

4.5 million of U.S. illegal immigrants come from Mexico. Almost 1 million more come from Central America.

Most of these people work in 'under the table' jobs below the minimum wage or buy false social security papers which are easily available for $100. Like in Canada, these workers generally take jobs that U.S. citizens don't want. The International Monetary Fund reported in 2002 that underground work amounted to 10% of the entire U.S. economy.

Mexican President Vicente Fox has been putting pressure on the U.S. government to develop a more humane immigration policy. Over 50% of illegal workers in the U.S. are Mexican. Since it's not possible to deport such a large population the American government considering offering these workers some kind of amnesty.

President Bush has recently outlined a plan which would give these people an opportunity to join a new 'temporary worker program' for a period of three years. They would be able to stay in the U.S. legally, keep their jobs and apply for permanent status.

Many illegal immigrants working in the the U.S. and Canada send money to help their families back home. A recent study reported that these 'remittances' amounted to $30 billion. This amount is almost double the entire U.S. foreign aid budget for all nations.

This money has major impact on the poor economies of South and Central American countries.

Hondurans working in the U.S. send home $500 million US every year.

For example, the Honduras Central Bank has reported that money received from 'el norte' totaled $500 million in the year 2000. This amount is more than earned by Honduras in tourism or the export of bananas, coffee, sugar and wood.

It's estimated that 30% of the population benefit from the money using it towards food and shelter.

Although the workers in the north earn a modest wage (50% make $25,000 - $30,000 every year) a mere 10% of that money is enough to support an entire family back home.

EDWIN'S JOURNEY CONTINUES IN CANADA

Edwin Raudales, the Honduran teenager who rode, hitchhiked and walked over 6400 kilometres to reach Nelson, B.C. was about to graduate from Grade 12 at the local high school. (read more about Edwin)

Edwin had become a good student and applied for refugee status on compassionate grounds in Canada.

Edwin had been in Canada for three years when the government turned down his application for refugee status.

Edwin received a letter from Ottawa that informed him that he was about to be deported back to Honduras. They weren't about create a precedent for teenagers from central America.

Edwin had already told his teacher and mentor Karl Machato his story. Then his incredible journey became public.

He had been chased by Mexican soldiers and police, held at gunpoint by gangs, jailed in a Mexican prison and begged for food for months on the road.

Karl Machato: He'd fought through everything, going across borders in the jungle, trusting people he didn't even know, having no food, and being sent to jail. But in this situation, the hardest thing for him was that it was out of his control and he couldn't do anything about it.

His lawyer Emma Andrews filed last minute appeals, but there didn't seem to be much hope.

Friends and teachers in Nelson rallied to his side in a last minute attempt stop his deportation. Eighteen hundred people signed a petition and $6500 was raised. They did everything they could to plead Edwin's case. His story became national news. (see CBC.ca: Honduran teen living in B.C. faces deportation )

Edwin's mom misses her son but his happy he has more opportunities in Canada.

His French teacher Nancy Pulsifer arranged for the community to sponsor Edwin. They guaranteed that he would not become a burden to society and that Edwin could live with her for free.

His supporters argued that it just wasn't safe to send Edwin back. His hometown neighbourhood is controlled by vicious gangs.

His mother, brothers and sisters hadn't seen him for five years.

Mrs. Raudales: I couldn't afford to send him to school here because I'm poor and I have no money. I thank God, although I do miss him now that he is in Canada. From the pictures he has sent me I can see that he is happy.

One student wrote a song about Edwin's fight to stay in Canada.

Former classmate Zoe Caron photographed the crowd who had gathered to send Edwin off to Vancouver before his final court date.

Zoe Caron: The biggest thing I remember from that night was that everybody was crying, people were trying to hold it back but the teachers were starting to cry, and of course, Edwin did too.

His dream of a better life was about to come to an end.

Then there was a glimmer of hope. The appeals court put a temporary hold on his deportation so that he could finish the school year. (read the CBC.ca new story: Honduran teen can stay)

Nancy Pulsipher: It's a bit emotional really, we're thrilled. He has to be in class tomorrow afternoon. No more celebrity status now - it's back to life as an ordinary Canadian.

Fighting deportation had cost him a month of his studies. But when he returned to class Edwin got back to work. He graduated from high school with distinction.

Edwin: I was just a simple kid with a simple life and all of a sudden everybody knows me and everybody respects me. My goal was to show them that I really want to be here and that I really want to be part of their society.

Edwin learns that he can stay in Canada permanently.

Then, two years later, while filming his story with the fifth estate, Edwin pulled out a letter he had just received from the government. (read about this incident in filmmaker's notes)

He learned that he was granted the permission to stay. (Read the court's decision)

Karl Machado: Congratulations, I've gotta give you a hug for this. You didn't know what was going to be in there did you?

Five years after his desperate race to Canada, Edwin finally has a work permit. He can start earning money to save for college. He wants to become a nurse.

QUIQUE & FRIENDS

After Quique's arrival at the safe house in Texas, his uncle Julio got a call. The coyote wanted another $1000 and was going to hold Quique hostage until he received it. Many illegal immigrants report that this is a common experience. Coyotes often try any means possible to extort more money out of their clients.

Sonya Nazario: You see migrants that are held for a week and finally escape or the neighbours call the police and they say there are people screaming from this house.

But once again, Quique was lucky. He waited for just the right moment to grab the coyote's cell phone and called his uncle. Then he got out of there fast.

Quique: When Julio picked me up I could see the coyotes looking for me.

Quique meets the fifth estate crew in a mall parking lot in the U.S.

Finally Quique had a reason to smile. He'd travelled over 5000 kilometres in the last 52 days. He'd been robbed, talked his way out of jail and almost died in the desert. He'd lost 10 pounds and gained an earring. But he'd made it.

It was time for a reunion and a celebration. His uncle Julio was with him on his first attempt to reach the U.S. seven years ago. Julio had already found Quique a construction job and now he was about to join the 9 million economic refugees who have come to the U.S. to work and live under the radar and outside the law.

Bob McKeown: You're here illegally. In a sense, you'll be on the run as long as you're here.
Quique: No, I don't think so. I don't think that it's necessary to be here legally. Many people have lived here for many years and have never had a problem.

Sonya Nazario: The United States has a really schizophrenic view of its immigrants. On one hand the vast majority of people in the United States want to lower the number of immigrants coming into the country. But there is a huge contingent of businesses who like getting cheap labour. And if anything would like to throw open the borders more.

Quique has a reason to celebrate. He's now joined his uncle in the U.S.

At home in Honduras Quique's family has a reason to celebrate too. Not only is Quique safe, but he'll be sending them $100 a month - a small fortune. And he plans to return in three years with enough money to buy a house and open up a store.

CHACON
Chacon continued his journey to the U.S. He was travelling with a group of other migrants when he witnessed the Mara Salvatrucha brutally rape and then throw a young girl overboard. (see the journey) He was shot at by the Mexican army as he tried to get on a train. Finally he was arrested in Mexico.

Chacon: There were three policemen and they were pointing their guns at us. After they blew the whistle they sicced their dogs on me. The officer came and kicked me. They took pictures, fingerprints and one police man even wanted me to wash his car. I was in jail for five days.

He was deported back to Honduras but is planning another attempt to reach the U.S.

Chacon: We live in crisis. I’d like to live well, not as comfortably as others do, but to live a normal life . To be able to cook on an electrical stove, to watch TV. That’s why I have a goal to reach el norte. I have worked to achieve it. I always think, I pray, that God will help me to get there.

DANIEL
Daniel remained at the border and continued to search for money to pay a coyote. Eventually he was successful and he made the crossing into the U.S. He has a job painting houses.

EBER
Eber made it into the U.S. with Quique. His relatives collected him from the safe house and he's now working in Virginia.

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the fifth estate: Run for Your Life
Broadcast on the fifth estate Sunday, June 1 & June 8, 2008 at 7pm ET on CBC Newsworld

The Boys - The Journey - The Destination
Filmmaker's Notes - Facts & Stats - Resources
Update - Discussion - Watch Video