Migrants Risk ‘Train of Death’ on Journey to U.S.-Mexico Border
Migrants from South and Central America are taking tremendous risks as they embark on their journey to the U.S.-Mexico border, often boarding freight trains known as La Bestia and El Tren de la Muert, meaning “the beast” and “the train of death” in English.
These migrants are desperate to reach the Mexico border, but along the way, these trains claim their dreams, limbs, and sometimes lives.
These trains not only transport goods and industrial supplies but also carry the hopes and aspirations of hundreds of thousands of migrants every year.
The migrants, including families, climb aboard these dangerous freight trains, which lack comfortable seats and large windows to enjoy the scenery.
Instead, they find themselves risking their lives by sleeping in cramped spaces between coils of metal or on top of rocky beds.
Tragically, lives have been lost under the wheels of these trains, as migrants are crushed or pushed to their deaths in order to create more space.
The uncertain flow of migrants on these trains raises questions about the new federal policies and the impact of Title 42, leaving observers unsure of what will happen next.
Despite the challenges and obstacles faced, many migrants, like Hosea, a migrant from Venezuela, believe the risk is worth it.
He explains, “Even though they put more and more obstacles in our way, we will continue to move forward.
Many migrants are in the same situation.”
The journey on these death trains can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Migrants often disembark along the way, searching for food and resources, but they face robbery, kidnapping, and ransom demands.
Women are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault and rape during this treacherous journey.
In addition to the dangers posed by criminal elements, the weather itself becomes a hazard for those sitting atop the train cars.
Nights are frigid, and the blistering heat of the sun often burns migrants when they touch the scalding metal of the train.
In an effort to combat these death trains, the U.S.
has even created a song to raise awareness about the dangers.
The song is played on the radio in Central American countries, aiming to inform and warn potential migrants about the perils they may encounter.
As the situation remains complex and challenging, the plight of migrants on these trains highlights the desperate lengths they are willing to go to seek a better life, despite the tremendous risks involved.
Source: NewsNation Now
