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Valid through July 31st, 2005. 60S Main Street • Park Hotel * 649.THAI (8424) _ www.bangkokthalonmafn.coni Immigrants risk lives, pay dearly By BREMDA GAZZAR MediaNews Group Wire Service With only a large moon as their light and the howls of animals in the distance, Javier Lopez and his 20year-old son, Daniel, climbed over the steep Tecate mountains for 10 hours straight before daybreak. One young man in the group from Mexico City cried for his mother. Another, from Javier's hometown of Tacatzcuaro, was overrun by small red ants. In the darkness, they spotted the flashlights of Border Patrol officials on the hunt three hills away. During the day, their 12-man group hid among the shrubbery of the slopes as patrol planes circled overhead. "We thought they were going to catch us," Javier, 46, said of the Border Patrol. "Always when we walk, we are almost certain they are going to catch us." Javier has made similar treks - leaving his hometown in Michoacan, Mexico, and heading to the United States - more than a dozen times for one reason: money. Javier sends between $200 and $250 each week to his wife, Concepcion, and the three of their seven children still living at home. The wages and tips he earns drying cars at a California car wash in the Inland Valley arc what largely sustains them. "For those of us here that have family (in Mexico), we have to keep sending money so they can eat, and we can send something to have something," Javier said. This trek across the border in mid-April was among the easiest he's ever had, Javier said. Unlike previous trips, there was plenty of fresh, worm-free drinking wati,r in the streams. The temperature was neither too hot or too cold. Most important, the men made it across on their first attempt, walking just 13 hours. Their guides over the hills even brought a burrito for each traveler, which they ate along with the tuna and bread each carried in their backpack. After Javier and Daniel spent the night on the floor of a San Diego home, they were taken to a house in. Santa Ana, Calif., where they waited until they could be taken to Javier's daughter's home in Fontana in San Bernardino County. There, Maricela waited anxiously for them to arrive. u Crossing like this has one's soul by a thread," said Maricela, using a Spanish expression, "tiene el alma en un hilo," to explain her fear about their crossing. When Mariccla's husband, Antonio Nalividad, came home from his job as a truck driver, he counted out $3,600 in cash to pay a Santa Ana man - one of the coyote's many workers - who would drop off Javier and Daniel. "It's too much money," Antonio said as he counted out the bills. But a phone call from the coyote, Fernando, in Tijuana suddenly changed their plans. The coyotes worker had refused to drop Daniel and Javier at Maricela's home after the coyote told him journalists would witness the transaction. The coyotes associate finally agreed to meet Antonio at a 24hour Circle K not far from Maricela's house to make the dropoff. One caveat: No press allowed. "We'll see if they arrive with shoes," Maricela said. "Sometimes with so much walking, they tear because of stones and thorns." When Antonio picked them up an hour later and they walked up the driveway, Javier smiled broadly as his ebullient grandchildren - ages 2 and 3 - shrieked and ran up to greet them. Javier and Daniel's pant legs and shoes were muddy- One of Javier's hands was scratched and bloody from the climb over the steep hills. Javier, who is easily affected by his diabetes, was paler and thinner than when he left Tacatzcuaro, but content. "We crossed quickly." he said. It took Javier just one day to find work in western San Bernardino County. The third car wash he went to had full-time openings and hired him on the spot. Using the name of a green cardcarrying friend from Michoacan, Javier was told by his employer to show his documentation when he got the chance. Six weeks later, Javier said he had been asked for documentation by his employer, but had yet to show it or fill out an application. As he's done at previous jobs, Javier goes by the name of his friend, who used to live in Chicago. He shows his friend's Social Security and green cards, which were loaned to him six years ago. Javier usually gets paid by check, and thus pays income taxes and has money deducted for his friends Social Security. "If I wasn't working, (his friend) wouldn't be getting his pension," Javier said. (i ' J)avier work's nine hours a'dav. six days a week, for minimum wage ers from his Mexican hometown.. plus lips - roughly $100 a day. He His share of the rent is $180. chooses to work more than 50 He made the move because ahours a week drying cars, though he few of his Chino roommates would gets no overtime for the additional often get drunk, play loud music hours. and not let him or the others rest, "I don't think it's very good, but Javier said. I can't get a better job," he said. "We sleep at 3 a.m. because they "Maybe in a factory, but in facto- are drunk and because of the ries, we're only going to get the music," he said. $260 we earn (for a week's work at To make this latest trip, Javier minimum wage). I won't get tips or had to borrow $1,500 from a godanything." mother of one of his children, at 6 One May morning, Javier and percent interest. The money was several other men at the car wash used to buy Javier and Daniel's were idle, waiting to see if they plane tickets to Tijuana, and for would be sent home because of the Concepcion's daily expenses until dark rain clouds above them. Javier Javier could send more. was hoping to work, since he wantJavier and Daniel also borrowed ed to send money to his wife. $3,600 from family members to pay In the first three weeks after his the coyote. arrival, he sent $800 to his wife and Javier believes it will take him children. But with all their expenses three or four months to pay off his and debts back home, it's not debts. When he doesn't have enough, he said. enough money to send home, he •"This is the life of Mexicans," he borrows money 1'rom people from said, pointing to the car wash his pueblo who arc living here, and ' employees resting in the back and sends that home. likening them to dogs outside a Despite the money Javier meat market. ""We're waiting for remits, he and his children still them to throw a bone to us." spend most of their money in the Javier worked just four hours U.S. for daily expenses, including that day, then returned to his rent, food, clothes and bus fare. Chino, Calif., apartment. When Javier went to the emerBut everything's relative. It is gency room of a local hospital three because he suffers much more in years ago after becoming ill with Mexico, he acknowledged, that he diabetes, he had to pay $3J>00 for is even in America. his three-day visit in installments. His hands, calloused from lifting While Latin American and heavy blocks in Mexico, are proof Caribbean immigrants, mainly livthat he works much harder there in ing in the United States, sent a total construction. And he earns four of $45.8 billion to their homelands times less. in 2004, it is estimated that about 90 Here, his hands simply get wet percent of income earned in this and his fingernails black from the country by Latin American immigrants is spent in the United States', tire polish. "It's sadder to be there, without according to a 2004 survey conductmoney, and to be working like a ed for the Inter-American slave and not have anything," he Development Bank. said. "Even though immigrants are Javier and his daughter Maricela sending an important chunk of their agree that life in America is more income on a regular basis ... still the tranquil in one important respect: lions share of the money they make money. remains in the United States." said "Over there (in Mexico), one Sergio Bendixen, president of Bendixen and only earns enough to eat, but here Florida-based you can buy more," Javier said. Associates, which conducted the"You benefit more from your work survey. "They are contributing to our economy." here than there." Consequently, Javier's life in Mexican immigrants send the America revolves mostly around most money out of any Latino work and sending money home. group - about 22 percent of what During this stay in the U.S., he they earn, or $400 a month on avef£ started out living in a two-bedroom age. according to the WashingtonChino apartment with five other based policy analysis center IntefMexican immigrants, sleeping on a American Dialogue. black leather sofa or in a corner on On Javier's days off, he often visthe carpet. its his grandchildren in Fontana and In May, he moved to a two-bed- runs errands, including wiring room apartment in Pomona with u ^ 2. in foWr other men, including two oth" Please see U.S., A-23 *?i\ Mountain Luxury Coming To Willow Creek Experience this stunning mountain home with unprecedented opulence and dramatic views. J>? Easy Street Brasserie's Bar Boheme now open for lunch & all day Dining from 11:30 am Wednesday-Sunday Exciting new menu featuring Hot Stone Cooking. 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