Nogales

Catracho: Dangers of the Train

man

Oh he’s the other guy from El Salvador… He is the one who was on the electric cable that hurt him on the train and he was very badly injured on his neck. I took several pictures of him. He was on the platform of the train and there were two posts and there was a cable and it just caught him on the neck. It could have cut his head off, but it burned him and it threw him back, but at least he did not fall off the train. He just fell right there on the platform of the train.

Catracho: Staying in the Shelter

two men posing for camera

How many people sleep in the shelter?

It fits about 40 people and there’s more people on the other side of this room too. There is a lot of people in the shelter. We only see a few of them.

And everybody gets along well?

Oh, yeah, we all get along well. Except, some, well, if you make a lot of noise or if you misbehave then they will call it your attention or they kick you out. Anybody who argues or fights or if you drink, gets kicked out.

So who took this picture?

Catracho: Why We are Friends

bed

These are all friends. They are all happy there saying hello… They are all in the same situation. Some of them were just deported and some of them are
waiting to cross for the first time. Here in Nogales it is really difficult, you cannot just go to the border on your own, you have to pay the mafias, they’re also
watching.

So you have to deal with the border patrol and with the mafia. Which one is worse?

Catracho: A Place Inside

man inside sleeping area

So how does it feel to be in that place, these places where you are sleeping?

Oh, it feels good because we have a place indoors and it is better than being outside because I had to sleep outside, outdoors a lot of times, all this one time by the road or by the railroad tracks and it is more dangerous. So here it is a lot better because you are in a place where you are protected and there is a mattress and you are warm and you are dry and you are secure, you’re safe. Yeah, I’ve felt a lot of coldness sleeping outside.

Catracho: Peace and Love

man posing for camera

Here, this one is the same friend that was over there and this is at the other shelter, the Bosco shelter.

So what is the signal with the hands? What is this?

Oh this is just saying hello and the love and the peace. That’s the sign that you do when you are taking a picture that you knew the love and peace sign just saying hello. It’s not a bad sign of the gangs or anything, it is just saying hello.

Catracho: Alone at the Border

self portrait

Oh there I am alone and yeah, it is a good memory to see myself there.

So your friends are already crossed over and they are gone, what would they say if they see this picture?

Oh they would probably feel bad because they already made it through and they are on the other side and I’m here. I’m still here on the border. I have, I have been trying for two months and being in Mexico and different parts of the border trying to cross and they already made it through. They are in California and the other one is in Maryland. 

Catracho: Why So Serious?

men with blurred out faces

Oh and this next picture I'm here with that friend, the one who is lying down there [in another picture], we are hanging out together.

And why are you so serious?

Well, I don’t know, we were just not laughing at that moment, but I am generally very happy. That is the way I am.

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