Wilmington Friends School: El Paso 2016: El Paso 2016-Day 5, June 23, 2016

On our 5^th day in El Paso, some students prepared a breakfast burrito bar including tortillas, chicken, eggs, onions, tomato, avocado, and special El Paso squash. We ate breakfast early and the burritos fueled the day ahead of us. A volunteer at Casa Vides, who is currently part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), spoke to us about us DACA and the application process.

After that, we took a walk to the Federal Court House of Western Texas in downtown El Paso. There, we observed a misdemeanor plea and sentencing for nine people who crossed the boarder illegally and were caught by border. It was very interesting to hear each of their stories through their responses to the judge and their attorney’s statements. After the sentencing ended, the attorneys on both sides, two border patrol agents, and two US Marshals talked to us and answered some questions. The federal prosecutor for the US Government addressed us personally and told us the challenges of finding a balance of being inclusive and helping people, but also enforcing the laws and keeping our country safe. Finally he told us to vote when we turn 18 so we can make a difference in our country.

We then headed to San Jacinto “Alligator” Square to debrief about the trial in small groups. We also enjoyed some ice coffee and fruit juice from a local shop. There we dug a little deeper into the challenges facing the community of El Paso, such as economic challenges, immigration, fear, and legal challenges. After that, we went to the Annunciation House for lunch. It was a really good lunch and after that we had two hours to talk to and play with the kids at the house. We all love the kids there and we are sad that tomorrow is our last lunch at Annunciation House.

Next, we went to Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services (DMRS). DMRS provides free to affordable legal support for immigrants. A lawyer for DMRS spoke to us and basically took us step-by-step through the immigration process. She was very knowledgeable and taught us so much. After hearing her speak to us, we really realized how difficult the immigration process is and why many migrants enter the country illegally.

For the last activity of the day, we went to Father Bob’s house to watch a documentary on the Annunciation House called “An American House.” You can find this movie on Vimeo.com. The film was very moving and showed us again the importance of the house and how it changes people’s lives for the better everyday. After the film, Denali brought us some amazing pizza from a local pizza joint. Father Bob also made us some delicious limeade. We are so thankful for all of the chaperones and leaders and we are having a great time. See y’all Sunday morning with some new cowboy boots!