Morir en el Intento: La Peor Tragedia de Inmigrantes en la Historia de los Estados Unidos

by Jorge Ramos

Cada día, cientos de personas toman incalculables riesgos para cruzar la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos en busca de trabajo y mejores oportunidades de vida. Pero para un grupo de inmigrantes que cruzó la frontera ilegalmente y se subió a un trailer la noche del 13 de mayo del 2003, este sueño se tornó en tragedia. Aquella húmeda y calurosísima noche de primavera, al menos 73 personas abordaron la parte de atrás de un camión que debía llevarlos de Harlingen, Texas hasta la ciudad de Houston, a unas 300 millas de distancia. Pero el camión nunca llegó a su destino final. A las cuatro horas tuvo que detenerse cerca de la ciudad de Victoria, donde se abrieron las puertas del trailer para encontrar que 17 personas habían muerto por asfixia, deshidratación, y un calor insoportable. Otras dos morirían más tarde en el hospital. Entre los muertos había un niño de 5 años de edad. Cuando llegó la policía varios de los sobrevivientes ya habían desaparecido. El terror, el desconcierto y el miedo absoluto los había hecho escapar antes que nadie pudiera hacerles ninguna pregunta. Más tarde, la mayoría de los sobrevivientes fueron detenidos. Pero las investigaciones que si-guieron pronto encontraron que había una mujer en el mismo centro de esta horrible Karla Chávez, una hondureña de 25 años acusada por las autoridades de organizar toda la operación. Con la pasión y la minuciosidad que lo caracteriza, el periodista Jorge Ramos nos cuenta los detalles de esta desgarradora tragedia, a la vez que busca comprender cómo algo tan inhumano puede suceder en pleno siglo XXI. A través de entrevistas con cuatro sobrevivientes que tuvie-ron el valor de hablar de su experiencia, conversaciones con los familiares de los difuntos, y un exhaustivo análisis del juicio a Karla Chávez y de las implicaciones del incidente en las políticas migratorias estadounidenses, Jorge Ramos relata uno de los episodios más tristes de la historia moderna de este país.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Social Justice, Social Issues, The United States Of America, Tragedy, Sociology

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

Jorge Gilberto Ramos Ávalos is a Mexican-born American journalist and author. Regarded as the best-known Spanish-language news anchor in the United States of America, he has been referred to as "The Walter Cronkite of Latin America".

Reviews

[Merrill Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did the book grab me? Yes. Did I wake up at night wondering what what was going to happen next? Yes. But it could have been alot better. Story about illegal mexican immigrants being crammed inside a truck trailer in the US, which was airtight and you can guess what happened and why a book was written. Jorge Ramos is a big Spanish tv star. It was a slap together book for him with little research. They didn't even tell about the resulting trials. Anywho.

[Frannie Cheska · Rating 5 out of 5]

gutted. this book fucking killed me. no other book in my life has affected me this way especially because it is a true story. its sad, and graphic, and so fucking gross. what happened to these people is so sad and horrible and it will never end. i wish there was more as a country that we could do but things wont ever change. i really recommend this book to anyone and every one. it will really hit you

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly tragic situation as told by survivors. Powerful testimony about the need for immigration and economic reform in the US and Mexico to prevent future deaths.

[mad mags · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly boring.

On May 14, 2003, nineteen people died while en route from a small Mexico/Texas border town to Houston, Texas, in what at the time was called the "greatest illegal immigrant tragedy in modern history." An estimated 73-84+ undocumented immigrants – most of them Mexican citizens, with a small minority hailing from other Latin American countries, such as Honduras – were packed into the back of a hermetically-sealed, locked-from-the-outside tractor trailer, without water, air conditioning or fresh air. Over the course of four hours, 17 people asphyxiated to death before the truck's driver finally pulled over to rest. When Tyrone Williams – who was contracted by coyotes to transport the immigrants to Houston, on what should have been the final leg of their trip - opened the trailer and discovered the dead, he fled from the scene. Most (if not all) of the immigrants were apprehended by local police and ICE, and were given temporary work visas so that they could remain in the U.S. and testify against their human traffickers. Two more immigrants died at the hospital, bringing the death toll to 19. The coyotes were charged with a variety of offenses, including murder.

Jorge Ramos, a native of Mexico and anchor for Noticiero Univision, weaves survivor, witness and official accounts of the tragedy together in DYING TO CROSS. The bulk of the story is told from the perspective of the half dozen or so survivors who were willing to speak to Ramos. The account of the perilous four hours spent in the trailer, for example, are primarily survivor accounts, with liberal use of direct quotations interspersed with medical explanations of what the victims' bodies and minds would have been going through, given the circumstances. Ramos also offers brief biographies of a few of the immigrants, as well as accounts of how they came to buy a spot on that fateful trailer. The book concludes with a description of the aftermath, however, as there was no real trial to speak of, this section of the report is almost anti-climactic. Ramos attempts to use this tragedy to illustrate failings in U.S. immigration policy as well as U.S./Mexican political relations, but his analysis seems a little scattered and superficial. (It's not that I necessarily disagree with his conclusions, rather, I don't feel as though he made a very comprehensive argument in favor of a more open and humane border policy.)

Given the book's subject matter, DYING TO CROSS is surprisingly boring, and I can't really pinpoint why. It seems as though the survivors' accounts of the trailer ride should have been more nail-bitingly suspenseful – but, not so much. There was a lot of talk about prayer, Satan worship, God-begging, etc., which got really tiresome, really fast. Case in point: all of the women passengers survived; one of the surviving men attributed this to the fact that the women started praying to God immediately, while the men "wasted" their energy on "frivolous" activities – like banging on and rocking the trailer, in a failed attempt to get the driver's attention. Um, yeah. Trying to stop the truck – what *were* they thinking!? Plus, the women's 100% survival rate couldn't possibly be due to the fact that women's bodies tend to retain more water than men's, for a variety of reasons including menstruation and oral contraception, right? (Ramos loses major cred for failing to counter these superstitious claims with scientific explanations.) Naturally, the survivors all thanked God for sparing them, proclaiming it a "miracle," etc., which begs the question of why God favored them and not the nineteen who died – one of which included a 5-year-old boy. But hey, maybe that's just the cantankerous ole atheist in me.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2009/04/16/...

[Andrea Gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

No conocia esta historia sacada de la vida misma

Morir en el intento es una historia literalmente aterradora. En algun momento te dejara sin aliento y quizas sientas lo que estos pobres e infenzos inmigrantes sintieon. Ser empatico aqui es la regla y el sentido de libertad y properidad nunca tendran mayor significado. Gracias!

[Lillibet Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I wanted to learn about the story, this was some of the worst writing I have read in a long time.

[Previous TCL Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ramos, the lead anchor for Univision television, tells the story of 19 immigrants who died in a sealed truck container outside of Victoria, Texas. The immigrants from Mexico and Central America were being smuggled from the US/Mexico border to Houston, Texas. The author describes in great detail the circumstances that left at least 73 people to suffer in the container. He explains the process used to smuggle illegal immigrants into the US, and the many pitfalls that come with it. He also gives a detailed account of the process to bring those responsible to justice. The book uses first person accounts and solid research to give the reader a full picture of the tragedy. Those who enjoy reading true crime will probably enjoy this book. Several key flaws kept this book from being great. The book felt like it was trying to convey a certain message but never succeeded. The book was uneven and jumped around quite a bit. This made it hard for the reader to find a coherent beginning and end. An incomplete account of what happens to those convicted of the crime left the true crime fan in me wanting those details. In general this was a solid account of a horrible tragedy that should never have happened.

Teton County Library Call No: 364.13 RAMOS
Review written by: Greg Eber

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and I'm only giving it 2-stars because of the subject matter. The book is short and seemed well researched.

The book details the death of 19 illegal immigrants into the United States at the hands of several coyotes and the aftermath for some of the smugglers and survivors.

There are many Hispanic names that I found hard to keep track of and follow and the narrator did a great job of pronouncing them though I don't speak Spanish so I'm no expert here.

The author did a good job of telling this story from the eyes of the immigrants, the coyotes, the truck driver Tyrone Williams, and the Bureaucrats and politicians that dealt with the aftermath.

I'm on the fence about recommending this book because of the subject matter.

[Olivia Bravo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very very grim story about an event taking place a few years back in Texas where a truck filled with illegal immigrants is found along side a hot Texas road. Many many died.
Story is taken from the survivors and really shows man's greed and inhumanity to man.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Word to the wise: this is not a read-during-your-commute type of book. You will cry.

[Veronica Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I committed to myself that I would read more in Spanish this year, and so I set some books aside to read and without realizing this one is so on point with issues happening today. This book whose title in English is "Dying to Cross. The Worst Immigrant Tradegy in American History" is both jaw dropping and tragic. I will tell you that although this happened in 2003, when a trailer was abandoned in Victoria, TX with 17 dead bodies, including the body of a 5 year old child, it struck a cord because people are still risking their lives, while others are making a profit from it. This story which is an account from some of the survivors and from court records tell a macabre story of greed on behalf of the "coyotes" as they stuffed this trailer with up to 70 peple perhaps more, and the story of the men and women who risk coming to this country illegally to make a better future for themselves. The book is factual, the book simply lays out what happened from all sides, and allows the reader to ask questions about immigration and about the risk of trying to fulfill the "American Dream". The story at the time brought the immigration issue up close and personal for several countries including the USA, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. The network on all sides that traffic in people to make a profit, and sadly for those that died slowly in that trailer without any air conditioning on one of the hottest days in Texas. What got everyone was the death of the 5 year old, that made me cry, that got me mad, that me upset even today because it was unnecessary.

[Alonso · Rating 4 out of 5]

El desgarrador relato de la travesía de 73 inmigrantes viajando en la caja de un trailer con la ilusión de alcanzar el sueño americano. El relato que Ramos hace de este suceso es bastante puntual pero se parece más a una novela que a una investigación periodística. El relato está configurado para presentar la versión de los indocumentados y, aunque presenta testimonios de otros involucrados en el suceso (autoridades, cónsules, reporteros), los cuestionamientos que plantea son débiles y se quedan en la superficie de lo que podría ser una gran investigación para conocer el papel que juegan las autoridades (tanto mexicanas como estadounidenses) en el conflicto migratorio. A pesar de esto, este libro representa un documento importante sobre las dificultades que enfrentan los indocumentados al tratar de cruzar la frontera con Estados Unidos.

[Sarah Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sad book. I never heard of this incident. It happened in May of 2003. I was in Army basic training so didn’t get any news there. Illegal immigration is such a hot topic issue. This gives me another view. Though I don’t want terrorist or drug dealers coming to America. There are a lot of people just trying to find a better way of life and be able to send money back home to their families so they can survive in countries where you can’t find work or a decent wage. When this book was written in 2005 it said immigration is a 14 billion dollar business for Mexico because of all the money that gets sent back down to Mexico from the illegal immigrants working in America. Plus immigrants are willing to work for less and at jobs Americans think they’re too good for. It’s all so sad.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers need to keep in mind that Mr. Ramos is a journalist first and an author second. I thought the matter of fact delivery was useful when writing about a tragedy of this magnitude. I wish a copy of this book would land on every Republican Senator's desk. This is not an isolated incident - it just happened to be the biggest loss of human life for seemingly, no real reason other than for the greed of a few. I'm a fan of open borders. They will come, work in jobs Americans refuse to do, send money home, then return to Mexico where they can live off their wages from the US. How can any one of us deny another human being something as basic as this?

I would also recommend "The Other Face of America" by Ramos. He does an excellent job of dispelling all the myths and stereotypes about Latinos.

[Gina Malanga · Rating 5 out of 5]

saw this book posted on somebody else’s page, I wish I remember who, and I knew I had to order it. This is a non-fiction text that is the investigation and events leading up to the most deadly immigrant crossing into America. As a result 19 people were dead, all of whom were taking the difficult journey into the United States. Told Through interviews and first-hand accounts there is no denying the absolute horror these individuals suffered. A must read for all of those interested in learning more about the immigrant experience.

[Paulina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Muy mal escrito, y peor . . . narrado. (Así recitaba el autor). He leído muchos libros de investigaciones periodísticas, pero este no está ni bien investigado ni bien escrito. La historia me dejó helada, pero siento que tengo que buscar otra fuente de información porque aún no siento como si supiera lo que sucedió. Y no se sabe lo que pasó con los acusados.

[Victoria Johannes · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is very important for American citizens to read. At the same time, the quality of the writing and structure of the content wasn’t real high quality. I’m still glad I read it and learned more about this horrific event and the unimaginable experiences undocumented immigrants have trying to come to the US for a better life.

[Fr. Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of information and mostly pretty easy to follow. Published well before final sentencing of the driver, who ultimately got over thirty years in prison. I found the book at times quite vivid, and other times quite sloppy and repetitive.

[Hugo Fiallos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que hay que leer. Doloroso, indignante y real. Lo más triste es a un no será la última vez que veamos estas tragedias, la migración irregular sigue ocurriendo a diario y cada vez son más los que se van.

[Feliciano Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Amazing. Tell you of a true heartbreaking story that happened on May 14, 2003.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A painful, horrifying read.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio of this book. What a horrific situation. This is a very sad but important story.

[Ofe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut wrenching.

[Joanna Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the first books I read about what immigrants go through for a better life. It worked my passion for advocacy.

[Cindy Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heart wretching story. I can’t imagine what this men and women went through. And it’s so hard to imagine how many others suffer trying to make their way across the border every day.

[Rachana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Important story, but poorly written (but it's so short so ok to read).

[Tanya Bjerke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of this tragedy. The author did a great job of describing the circumstances and the aftermath. Very good!

[laura young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down! The fact that I’d hold my breath while reading this book, as if I would be heard & give away the people hiding. Truly saddening; had me crying at the end.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una buena historia de la tragedia de 19 inmigrantes en Texas y el proceso judicial.

[Jan Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good for what it was. It could have used some analysis. But what it really needed was information about the resulting trials.
It was an incredible tragedy.