Calling 911 does not guarantee being found alive or even found

During the past two weeks, I have had the privilege to touch the lives of Felipe, Homero and Keilin and their families. In sharing a bit of the encounters, I hope to deepen the reality of daily border life in South Texas.

Felipe

By far, the best news of the two weeks was the successful search-and-rescue of Felipe, who called 911 at midnight Monday to report that he needed help. He had an injured knee and was hungry and dehydrated. He knew that without help he would die. Felipe decided to end his journey north in favor of saving his life after getting almost 100 miles into the U.S.

Calling 911 is not a guarantee of being found alive or of being found at all. At least two non-profit organizations got involved in Felipe's case: Proyecto Desaparecidos and the South Texas Human Rights Center. Since most of the Texas borderlands are private ranches, only specific groups are able to do on-the-ground search for a missing person.

Generally, this is a special unit of the Border Patrol. The non-profits see their role as making sure that the Border Patrol conducts a thorough search as soon as possible and that the search continues for more than an hour or so. The two organizations also keep in contact with the family and gather as much information as possible regarding the journey to relate to the Border Patrol in an attempt to narrow the search radius.

Even though GPS coordinates were taken with the 911 call, a lack of sufficient cell phone towers makes the triangulation process inaccurate or non-specific. In addition, the vegetation in the sandy and hot desert is very thick and it is difficult to see anything on the ground even at a short distance. As an additional challenge, Felipe was not the only case that was on the desk of the Border Patrol.

Within 12 hours of the 911 call, Felipe was found alive. This is nothing less than a miracle. We rejoice and thank God! What happens now with Felipe is unknown. Some options include seeking asylum, seeking voluntary departure or being deported. Any of these options will include some length of detention.

Please keep Felipe and his family in your prayers.

Homero

Last week family members of Homero heard that he had been left behind in the brush while crossing though our area. Two of Homero's brothers, Omar and Ivan, and Omar's wife Michelle, decided to drive to Brooks County to try to find Homero themselves. It was possible that Homero was still alive, and they could not trust his life to strangers on the telephone.

	Michelle, Omar and Ivan help refill water stations.

The three were very resourceful. After using a map to try to find the path Homero had taken, they visited the Border Patrol station and the Sheriff's Office to report Homero as missing, who referred them to the South Texas Human Rights Center. Our role was to take a lengthy official missing person report, collect DNA samples from family members and press for immediate action by the Border Patrol search teams. In addition, I was able to accompany the family through their days, offer hospitality and answer questions.

The family members went so far as to find and hire an independent helicopter operator to go up and search from the air themselves. It gave them comfort in that it allowed them to participate in the search process. They also realized first hand not only the difficulty of the terrain, but also that the information relayed to them from the smuggler did not match the actual markers on the ground.

While the three were here, family members from all over were gathering at the family home in Houston to comfort Homero's mother, father and younger sister. Yet, before heading home without any news of Homero to take back to the family, they insisted on helping with the refilling of water stations here in Falfurrias. We found several stations that needed water and several stations gave evidence that border crossers had used the stations.

The South Texas Human Rights Center will continue to work with Homero's case. Please keep Homero's family and friends in your prayers. Throughout the three-day stay of this family, I could not help thinking of my own family. Which three would have been sent on mission in the name of all to search for a beloved gone missing and perhaps still alive?

Keilin

I met Keilin while visiting the Adelanto Detention Facility in California. A member of Detention Watch Network arranged an official tour of the facility. I was privileged to be among 13, including lawyers of clients at Adelanto and members of Human Rights Watch, who toured the facility for four hours. Afterwards we stayed to visit with some of those held at the facility. I visited with Keilin.

Homero 2Keilin came to the U.S. with his family as a one-year-old. At age 17, Keilin made an error of judgment and got caught. He served his time. Almost 20 years later, immigration sought him out because of this past record. He has been detained in Adelanto four months. He has no lawyer. He has not information regarding his case or how long he will be waiting. He wonders why he is held.

Keilin is a certified licensed arborist. He has worked faithfully at his job for 16 years. He has a five-year-old daughter and wants to marry the mother of his child. He is not dangerous. He was the most gentle and patient young man.

We prayed together. I realized more deeply that man is not made for this world and that our real life is eternal. I told Keilin that there would be no line at his entrance to heaven. Keilin prayed believing that God would be the last person to speak on his behalf and yet he prayed without revenge.

Please keep Keilin and his daughter and family in your prayers.