Illegal Cross-Border: A Tale of Hope, Desperation, and Loss

  • Oct 04, 2024

Note: 
Before reading, please note that I write all of my articles purely for the purpose of knowledge provision. I never intend to hurt anyone; instead, my writing is meant to benefit all of us.
 
Just 140 years ago, no visa was required to enter any country. People moved freely across borders without the constraints that exist today. With the advent of visas came restrictions, and with restrictions, came discrimination. The borders, once mere lines on a map, now serve as walls that keep the poor and less fortunate from seeking a better future. Today, those barriers primarily target the economically disadvantaged, denying them entry based on their wealth, education, and status.

Each year, over a million people risk everything to cross borders illegally. They take dangerous routes, placing their lives in the hands of fate and, too often, unscrupulous agents. Many lose their lives along the way, their bodies never recovered, their dreams shattered mid-journey. The families left behind suffer immeasurable pain, unable to perform the last rites for their loved ones because they never know whether they are alive or dead. The grief of uncertainty lingers, a haunting reminder of hopes gone awry.

Those who survive these perilous journeys face unimaginable hardships. They often find themselves in foreign lands, treated as outcasts and criminals. Few have the opportunity to return home, forever trapped in the limbo of their decisions. The agents who facilitate these illegal crossings profit from the desperation of those seeking a better life. They care little for the people they smuggle, seeing only numbers and money, not lives and dreams.

Did you know that seeking asylum comes with its own heavy price? By asking for asylum, you could lose your nationality. Your home country might refuse to recognize you as a citizen again, considering you a stranger in the land where you were once known. You become statelessโ€”someone without a place to call home, no matter where you go. Is that the kind of life you want to live?

My brother, do not take this route. I beg of you. Do not put your life in danger. Every moment you spend trying to cross illegally is a moment your family spends in anxiety and sorrow. Every time your mother hears a knock on the door, her heart leaps with hope that it's you. But then she remembersโ€”the pain, the uncertainty. Every happy moment turns bittersweet because they are not truly happy until they know you are safe.

If you must go, do it the right way. Use the legal channels. Meet the requirements, no matter how tough they may seem. Because it is far better to face rejection with dignity than to vanish into thin air, leaving behind only grief and unanswered questions.

If, by chance, you find that you cannot meet the requirements, then remember that life in your home country, however challenging, is still a life you know. It is still a life where your loved ones can see you, hear you, and embrace you. It is better to struggle together than to perish alone in a land that may never accept you.

My hope is for everyone to find fulfillment and happiness in their own nations, where borders do not dictate their future. Let us strive for better opportunities within, so we never have to risk our lives for the uncertain promise of something better beyond.

Brother, good luck. I pray for your safety and well-being.
Thank you for taking the time to read.