The Line Becomes a River – Francisco Cantu

Our discussion on The Line Becomes a River, by Francisco Cantu, was really terrific. Thank you all for contributing to and adding your perspective on a difficult and powerful subject. It’s truly a compelling story about the border patrol and how they enforce immigration policies. “Story” is kind of a misnomer because this is a non-fiction account of the author’s own experiences in the border patrol. This is not a fictional novel.

Cantu, the author, was in the border patrol for about four years, and he ended up being part of the process that dehumanized the very people the border patrol came into contact with. Illegal immigrants were not drug lords and rapists; rather, they were people looking for a better or safer way of life. Dehumanizing illegal immigrants made it easier to chase them down, round them up and send them back to Mexico. Cantu himself fell into this dilemma and once he recognized his own contributions to this ugly process, he left for a civilian job.

Later, he befriends an illegal immigrant who chooses to travel back to Mexico to visit his dying mother and when he doesn’t return, Cantu tries to help his friend and his friend’s wife and children left back in the states. His friend wants to come back because he says he wouldn’t be a good father if he didn’t try to return to his family. He keeps trying to cross the border because he loves his family. The book ends in a hopeful way, although we never really know if Cantu’s friend makes it back across. We can only speculate…and hope.

If you haven’t read this book, please pick up a copy and do so. Educate yourself. It’s worth your time, I promise. I though I knew all there was to know about immigration but this book showed me that I knew next to nothing. Reading a first-hand account from someone inside the process is pretty powerful. Read it!