ILLEGAL MIGRATION
04/11/22 14:45
So what do you tell an Ecuadorian who has decided to migrate illegally to the US? Can you convince him not to go?
“It’s illegal. You’re committing a crime.” That doesn’t seem to register because “if my family and friends did it, then it’s okay for me to migrate as well.”
“It’s dangerous and risky.” They think it’s worth the risk. They’ll take their chances.
I just talked to a father, whose two children are migrating illegally to the US. One is already in Guatemala with his family, and the other is about to take his family on the risky and illegal journey. His own response to me was, “What can I do? I can’t find jobs for them, nor can I support them. So I can’t tell them ‘don’t go’”
I ask, “Where do you get thousands of dollars to pay the “coyotes” who take you to the US? If you can find $10,000 to $20,000 dollars for the trip, why can’t you start a small business here in Ecuador?” My guess is that the illusion of earning money in the US outweighs the debts they incur here in Ecuador.
So the final answer is, “I hope you arrive safely.”
That’s our reality in Ecuador.