The 800 Mile Wall

The 800 Mile Wall highlights the construction of the new border walls along the U.S.-Mexico border as well as the effect on migrants trying to cross into the U.S. This powerful 90-minute film is an unflinching look at a failed U.S. border strategy that many believe has caused the death of thousands of migrants and violates fundamental human rights.

Since border walls have been built, well over 5,000 migrant bodies have been recovered in U.S. deserts, mountains and canals. Some unofficial reports put the death toll as high as 10,000 men, women and children. As a direct result of U.S. border policy, migrants are forced to cross treacherous deserts and mountains in search of low skill and low paying jobs in the United States. The New York Times writes, "Current border strategy is serving as a funnel through deadly terrain." The 800 Mile Wall documents, in great detail, the ineffective and deadly results of a failed border policy and offers some thoughts and on how the current human rights crisis may be resolved. Directed by John Carlos Frey and Produced by Jack Lorenz. Running Time: 90 min.

Ferry To The Other Side / Corner Of Latin America

Margaret Randall reads Ferry To The Other Side / Corner Of Latin America from her book Stones Witness accompanied by Glenn Weyant on Nogales Border Wall, played with cello bow and implements of mass percussion.

The collaboration was improvised live on 3/14/10 at the bifurcation scar of Nogales Arizona and Nogales Sonora.

Video by Barbara Byers.

For more about Margaret's work visit:
http://www.margaretrandall.org

For more about Glenn's work visit:
http://www.sonicanta.com/

Virtual U.S.-Mexico Border Fence At A Virtual End

The Department of Homeland Security's plan to build a virtual fence across the U.S.-Mexico Border has come to a crashing halt just days before the release of a report expected to slam the system. Read more or listen at NPR.

Illegal Border Crossing Park

The Mexican town of El Alberto lies 800 miles south of the US border in the state of Hidalgo. It’s pretty much like any other town of 3,000 people, except in El Alberto they offer tourists the chance to participate in a simulated illegal border crossing. It all happens at a standard recreational park with swimming pools, river trips, zip lines, and the other typical fare. We took a few cameras and headed for the EcoAlberto Park to spend some late-nights running through underground tunnels on the heels of our personal “Coyote” while being chased by border patrol. While we were there, we crashed a quinceñera party and saw El Alberto from the perspective of the locals. We find that when Mexicans cross the border to pursue the “American Dream,” their real aim is to bring a slice of the pie back home to Mexico. And so they do, provided they can run fast enough.