The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail

by Jason De León

The firsthand accounts of border crossings in recent times largely came from the musings of gonzo journalists who headed down to the border and teamed up with some overly trusting Mexicans who let these people shadow them as they headed for El Norte.

A map of migrant deaths that have occurred in southern Arizona in the past two decades reveals that many people die near rural residences while seeking help.82 A number of canine companions in this region likely have dined on human flesh and then trotted home to lick their owner’s face.

stories. I vividly remember overhearing a famous television journalist telling his camera man, “We need to find a mother that has been deported and lost her kids. We need to find someone with a really fucked-up story. That’s pure gold.”