Beneath a backdrop of traffic running along Interstate 10 through El Paso, Texas, is a ballpark in Juarez, Mexico, where Texan Ramon Lopez has been playing fast-pitch softball for 36 years.
Lopez, 66, is a retired firefighter who has lived in El Paso all his life but plays softball in Mexico every weekend on a team called the Apolos, which is a mix of 18 men from both sides of the border.
His teammates include Dr. Javier Perez, a 56-year-old physician who lives in Juarez, and Dr. Oscar Vargas, a 48-year-old dentist who lives in El Paso.
They offer visitors coca-cola, beer and burritos, and greet their teammates’ families with hugs.
Photo by James Gregg.
The three men have differing opinions on the immigration debate, but they all like to tell the story of their Juarez ballpark, which was once considered part of El Paso until it was ceded to Mexico by treaty in 1963. The way they explain it, President John F. Kennedy rightfully gave the land back to Mexico.
A disagreement over the 600 acres that now includes the Cheramis ballpark began in the 19th century when the Rio Grande changed course and some of the land that had been south of the river moved to the north, putting the tract in dispute.
The Rio Grande has marked the international boundary between the U.S. and Mexico ever since the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In order to keep the river as the international line, part of the 1963 resolution included re-channeling the river – a cost that was covered by both countries.
Lopez, whose daughter is a U.S. Border Patrol Agent, says people have been illegally crossing the Rio Grande for decades, risking arrest and worse to follow their hopes to the El Paso side. He supports the added military presence along the Rio Grande’s north riverbank through downtown El Paso, which includes cameras, floodlights and a 12-foot chain-link fence.
The wait for Lopez to return to the United States after his ball games grew to about an hour after Sept. 11, 2001, when border security tightened. It’s a far cry from the five minute trolley ride he used to take between the two cities as a child. But he doesn’t mind the changes.
“I feel sorry for my own people, but what can you do?,” he said. “If you don’t have your papers, all it is is a dream.”
In July, a team of Arizona Daily Star journalists traveled from San Diego to Brownsville for a close-up look at what it would take to secure the border. They used this blog to chronicle their experiences and will present a 4-day series of their findings beginning Sunday, Sept. 24.
Current Location:The journey is over. Stay tuned for our special report on the border beginning September 24.
Meet the Team
James Gregg recently joined the staff of the Arizona Daily Star as a
photojournalist after beginning his career in Colorado. James has lived abroad in Ecuador and Costa Rica, and holds a degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas.
Stephanie Innes is the faith and values reporter for the Star. She has worked at the newspaper since 1999 and previously covered crime. She has also been a reporter for the Tucson Citizen and for the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff.
Border and Immigration reporter Brady McCombs has been with the Star since February. He recently co-authored the Star's four-part investigative series, "Illegal Labor Fix Falls Short." McCombs, who is bilingual, spent three years working in Costa Rica.
Photographer Lindsay Miller joined the Arizona Daily Star in April 2005, relocating toTucson after working at the Napa Valley Register. She has worked on several documentary projects as well as a variety of local news and features..
Online producer Andrew Satter has been with the Star for more than two years. He oversees online news content relating to the border and politics/elections, has produced dozens of videos and audio slide shows and is a co-creator of the award-winning Border Death Database.
Reader Polls
Week 3 Results
Question: Which border state has the most out-of-control border?
- California - 9%
- Arizona - 53%
- New Mexico - 10%
- Texas - 7%
- Minnesota - 21%
Total number of votes - 68
Week 2 Results
Question: What is the top reason the U.S. needs to secure its borders?
- Stop illegal immigrants from coming into the country - 48%
- Crack down on drug smuggling - 14%
- Stop terrorists from being able to get in - 28%
- An open border poses no immediate threat - 9%
- Protect against human sex slave trafficking - 1%
Total number of votes - 79
Week 1 Results
Question: What should be the first priority in solving the illegal immigration problem?
- Secure the border - 48%
- Workplace enforcement - 21%
- Visa enforcement - 3%
- Institute a guest worker program - 17%
- Take care of non-border-related issues first - 11%
Total number of votes - 150
Border gallery
What does the word 'border' mean to you? Be it the U.S./Mexico border, the Brazilian/Argentinian border or the border between you and your neighbor's house, we want to see your images of this ill-defined concept in our gallery. In the Photo Caption field please tell us the subject of the photo. Submit your photo »»
James Gregg recently joined the staff of the Arizona Daily Star as a
photojournalist after beginning his career in Colorado. James has lived abroad in Ecuador and Costa Rica, and holds a degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas.
Stephanie Innes is the faith and values reporter for the Star. She has worked at the newspaper since 1999 and previously covered crime. She has also been a reporter for the Tucson Citizen and for the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff.
Border and Immigration reporter Brady McCombs has been with the Star since February. He recently co-authored the Star's four-part investigative series, "Illegal Labor Fix Falls Short." McCombs, who is bilingual, spent three years working in Costa Rica.
Photographer Lindsay Miller joined the Arizona Daily Star in April 2005, relocating toTucson after working at the Napa Valley Register. She has worked on several documentary projects as well as a variety of local news and features..
Online producer Andrew Satter has been with the Star for more than two years. He oversees online news content relating to the border and politics/elections, has produced dozens of videos and audio slide shows and is a co-creator of the award-winning Border Death Database.
It’s great to be able to follow your journey.
— Nora Lever 07/31/2006 06:28 PM #