s into cartrunks and into boxcars, and they ride across the border spread-eagled on the top of freight trains. The boldest onesmerely sprint through the backed-up traffic at the port of entry, defying the Border Patrol to chase them" (Barich 52).Approximately five thousand illegals pass through la frontera every 24 hours. "The San Diego Border Patrol capturesaround 1,500 people every day, 470,000 illegals were captured by the San Diego Border Patrol in 1990" (Barich 52).Those who are caught are sent back to Mexico and most likely will make another attempt at the border in the future.Those who get by the border patrol will go on and try to find work or their families who have already crossed the border.Others will go to Oregon and Washington to pick apples or work close to sea if work is not plentiful or available inCalifornia. Another way of getting across the border is through the coyote system. A person will usually pay between three andseven hundred dollars to a coyote who will guide them across the border. This guide is part entrepreneur, partextortionist. The coyote will leave the immigrants if pressed by the Border Patrol. The coyote is also known for keepingunsuspecting illegal immigrants hostage, and only letting them go if their family comes up with ransom. The coyotebusiness thrives at the border and makes life that much worse there. Also sometimes used to cross the border is the help of an experienced illegal. This person has crossed the border manytimes and agrees to let another illegal tag along on his next journey across the border for a small fee. This type ofperson is hard to come by for most. Typically to find such a person you must know someone who knows someone else whois trustworthy enough to lead the way. Others do not like tag alongs because they might slow them down or get themcaught by the border patrol. Since 1960 more people have illegally and legally immigrated to United States from Mexico than from any other ...
