Under a bridge, children receive classes while waiting to continue north

Jessica Xanthomila

Sent

La Jornada Newspaper
Sunday, January 19, 2025, p. 4

Irapuato, Gto., have witnessed the via crucis that their families suffer to reach the United States; They have suffered hunger, the intense cold of the early mornings when traveling by train; They live in tents, without going to school for months and some make pilgrimages to reunite with their parents. They are the migrant children who cross through Mexico.

On the famous Coca Cola Bridge, located a few steps from the railway tracks where it travels The Beast –locomotive that many foreigners ride to get to Torreón or Guadalajara–, there are around 15 minors, mostly Venezuelans and Central Americans. Among the youngest is Miguel, one year old; Ángeles is one of the oldest, at 10 years old.

Some of them, especially those who hope to obtain a CBP One appointment to request asylum in the United States – a system that is at risk of ending with the next president Donald Trump – have been living on the street for more than four months, protected only by a tent with a few blankets and wooden boards, under the vehicle bridge.

Venezuelan Ángeles tells this newspaper that she arrived in Irapuato with her mother, three brothers and her stepfather, a month and a half ago, but has more time who left Venezuela, because he lived in Peru before starting his trip to the United States.

While illuminating a drawing, she expresses that the dream of entering that country excites her. because there I want to be achieving my goalshow to continue studying. That’s why, he says, he prepares to speak English: I have an application on my phone (cell phone) and I have learned to say coffee, tea, thank you and hello.

Migration hit us

He adds that the trip It has been a very good adventure because we have learned to value what we havebut recognizes that not all moments have been happy: I came here because Immigration grabbed us and beat us. Immigration pushed me and my four-year-old brother was grabbed because my stepfather was with him, covering him, and they pushed him to the floor. It was sad because three of them grabbed my stepfather and kicked him. They bit my mom’s finger. Then they let us gohe relates.

This fact, he claims, caused them to no longer continue on their way to the northern border states, so they will wait to obtain the CBP One appointment. With God’s favor that it turns out for us, we are going to go to another leveltrust.

In this camp, in the middle of Guerrero Avenue, with the constant traffic of cars and the passage of trains that mostly go to destinations that do not interest migrants, such as Mexico City, the children receive support from the care center. comprehensive Friends of the Train.

In the facilities of this organization, located in front of the vehicle bridge, travelers can bathe, wash clothes and have access to drinking water and personal hygiene items. They also receive food and medical services. They also provide classes to children, with support from the National Council for Educational Development (Conafe), which sends two teachers from Monday to Friday.

Noemí Estrada is one of them. In an interview, he explains that the educational program began about a year ago. The little school It is set up on the vehicular bridge, with a medium-sized table and about 10 chairs. Around it, the children sit to illuminate with crayons, cut out, draw and learn mathematics and literacy, with the material that Conafe provides.

The only wall of this school is one of the pillars of the bridge, where the teachers place the work in class, such as images of dogs and stars illuminated by the students and the name of each one of them.

Fluctuating population

Noemí indicates that the population they serve fluctuates, since most of the children stay for one or two days, up to a week, and then leave to continue heading north. Among them there are those who have never been in a classroom and others have forgotten what they learned.

She expresses that her relationship with these minors leads her to listen very difficult situations that they have had to live. They tell us about their traditions to what happens to them on the journey. There are children who have been kidnapped and others whose relatives have fallen from the train and have lost limbs..

Noemí highlights that in the face of this and despite the hustle and bustle of the train whistle and passing cars, the little school is a four-hour space where They free themselves from everything they have been through. We play and try to do activities that they like.

Briagna, an 8-year-old Venezuelan, participates in school activities. At his young age he has already traveled by freight train three times, where Even if you cover yourself with thousands of blankets, you are very cold.. She also already had the experience of surrendering to the United States authorities, but was returned along with her mother, aunts and cousin, to Tabasco.

They all went back up, because Briagna’s father is in Texas, but will soon be deported. He was in a shelter and was deported. So we are waiting for it.

The families and other people who camp in this place, around 70, have very few resources, so they rely on donations of food and clothing. That’s why they take the train, because they don’t have enough money to go by bus or van.