Response to "Crossing the Wire" By Will Hobbs

With all of the media it is hard to put into perspective an immigrant’s story and an immigrant’s point of view of why people cross the borders illegally into our country. Before taking a look at this book, illegal immigration was a very black and white issue to me. The book Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs brings forward the issue of illegal immigration and allows for the reader to see through the eyes of the immigrants. It comes down to the fact that the issue is not so black and white after all. I think it is a good idea to point out that there are many issues when it comes to illegal immigration, and many reasons why people travel to any country illegally. It was also interesting to whiteness the kinds of journeys and the treacherous adventures that these immigrants have to take in order to find their freedom and better ways of living.

This story reveals a strong point that it is American policies toward Mexico that provides fuel to people crossing the border. Victor is forced to find other work because he cannot sell his corn for a fair enough price as of result of American corn devouring the market in Mexico. When your family is your world you would do anything to protect them and to keep them alive. Victor being the man of the family since his father had died in El Norte years before, has to decide to make the journey to America only because he feel as if there is no other option.

It is interesting to see how Victor’s feeling change toward leaving to the States when he finds out there is no other way. Rico, Victor’s best friend receives coyote money at the beginning of the book.  Victor highly frowns upon Rico’s decision to leave his family until circumstances come into play that Victor can no longer feed his family on their crop money.

Another interesting part of the book was how I saw how hard it truly is to cross the border. Which shows these people’s determination for wanting to provide for their families. I found it interesting to see how it is not only hard to cross on the American side of the border but also the Mexican side of the border because so many people are trying to get by it is in a way survival of the fittest and survival of the wisest.

There was the man in the book, Hector that grew up in the States, was walked across the border as a baby on his mother’s back, graduated and even worked in the States his entire life but was deported after a accident where he there couldn’t provide paperwork that he was a citizen. After all of those years, he knew nothing else, only spoke English and was truly American, but because of lack of paperwork and because he was not born on certain soil he was considered an illegal. This part of the story spoke mountains to be because it reminded me of so many people that I know that have been in the same situation but cannot work or are afraid that they will be deported to a land that they know nothing of.

In the light of reading this book I have found more of an understanding for people wanting to cross our borders into America. I think that there needs to be a better system for people who have lived in the States for their entire lives and do not have documentation, especially since their know no other country.