Today I visited an unusual situation. Though, not because it is actually “not typical” all over the world – yes, even in the States – but because I had never seen it for myself but had heard of it for a long time.
What you are seeing here is a migrant worker farm.
Many of the people who live and work here are not “Mexican” per se, they’re Oaxaca or Mexicali… more related to the Native Americans than to Latino origin. And, they are migrant. They are “nomadic.”
When the crops are in season, they come and live here. When the season ends, they move south towards Cabo. But they do not own land or many possessions beyond what they could migrate with at the end of the growing season.
The necessities are provided, but almost nothing else.
Here you are witnessing what was going on in the 1930’s during the United States’ Great Depression. But it is still going on all over the world.
Entire families.
The clinic moved here for the day. And to neighboring San Vincente.
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So, are you curious how its done in the United States?
I was told once about how some of these migrant farms work. In this particular situation – in Georgia, I believe it was – the owner of the farm somehow confiscates the worker’s ID’s and/or Green Cards. This is the owner’s “insurance.” The workers then must work for the season (or however long) to have the Green Card returned. At the end of the season, the owner says, “Oh, your green card (and everyone else’s that have been working there) is over at this other farm two states over. You’ll have to go pick it all up there.” So, they all get up and go over to this other state far away – usually hitchhiking or walking because none of them have ID’s to drive/fly/buy a bus ticket. When they get there, they have just arrived at a farm that HAPPENS to be exactly like the other one, just for the next season of crops. Some are shanghaied into working again (you’ll have to work for me to get your ID / Green Card back) or sometimes they’re given the option. But, because they are unskilled workers, they have to work at the next farm just to feed their families.
This story I heard from a man who gave a ride to a man hitchhiking. The story was happening to the man he picked up.
So, of course, I’m not saying all situations of migrant workers in the US are like this, but that was just this one story. I cannot say how common or uncommon it is.
For all intents and purposes, today is the last day for all these things. The aid workers return home and I make my way back to the southeast for a few days before the next exploration.
Since I left back in January, I’ve been gone all but a few weeks worth of time combined. The next thing… stay tuned…
-Noah D.
