Saturday, July 02, 2005
Prayer Vigil at Douglas Border Patrol Station
Our delegation held a prayer vigil and nonviolent direct action at the Douglas, Arizona Border Patrol Station on Friday morning, 1 July. The nine-member
group, along with two members of the CPT Douglas Team, proclaimed that
the desert soil was both sacred and tragic due to the high number of migrant
deaths in recent years. After simulating a migrant death caused by
increased Border Patrol militarization, a member of the group used the
symbol of blood to mark a cross in the sand. The group also prayed for the
Border Patrol, for migrants, and for vigilantes. They committed themselves
to work toward preventing further death and tragedy in the desert.
Douglas, Arizona, is home to the largest Border Patrol station in the United
States. Its increased militarization of the border region includes the use
of military checkpoints along the highway, helicopter patrols, video
surveillance, drones, watch towers, and a heavy presence of border patrol
vehicles and agents in the area. The Border Patrol is also constructing a
wall made of Vietnam-era landing pad material along the border next to
Douglas. The policy of increased militarization causes migrants to avoid
crossing the border in the militarized areas. Instead, they cross through
the most remote and dangerous desert regions. In the past ten years, there
have been more than 3,000 documented migrant deaths. Most observers believe
that many more bodies have never been found.
The above is a slightly edited version of a release that was sent to CPTNet on July 2, 2005.
group, along with two members of the CPT Douglas Team, proclaimed that
the desert soil was both sacred and tragic due to the high number of migrant
deaths in recent years. After simulating a migrant death caused by
increased Border Patrol militarization, a member of the group used the
symbol of blood to mark a cross in the sand. The group also prayed for the
Border Patrol, for migrants, and for vigilantes. They committed themselves
to work toward preventing further death and tragedy in the desert.
Douglas, Arizona, is home to the largest Border Patrol station in the United
States. Its increased militarization of the border region includes the use
of military checkpoints along the highway, helicopter patrols, video
surveillance, drones, watch towers, and a heavy presence of border patrol
vehicles and agents in the area. The Border Patrol is also constructing a
wall made of Vietnam-era landing pad material along the border next to
Douglas. The policy of increased militarization causes migrants to avoid
crossing the border in the militarized areas. Instead, they cross through
the most remote and dangerous desert regions. In the past ten years, there
have been more than 3,000 documented migrant deaths. Most observers believe
that many more bodies have never been found.
The above is a slightly edited version of a release that was sent to CPTNet on July 2, 2005.
