Earlier this month, I descended upon the southern Arizona city of Tucson and then drove to the border town of Sierra Vista in Cochise County, one hour south of the city. The path to Sierra Vista is covered by the arid, venomous desert, mostly unconquered and home to man’s natural enemies, the snake and scorpion. For our southernmost communities, the desert’s venom not only endangers residents from snake bites, but from the sore openness of their communities’ border with Mexico posing daily threats from illegal crossings.
The most familiar form of illegal border crossing involves individuals and families crossing and immediately surrendering to local or federal law enforcement to receive initial documentation and a court date for a hearing for an asylum claim to permanently remain in the United States.
A migrant crossing in 2024 will receive a hearing in 2032. During…
