'Vale la pena'

"It's worth it." Mexican women are increasingly uttering this phrase as they decide to illegally cross the border in hopes of finding work and a better life for their family. Although it's difficult to get firm numbers on illegal immigration, researchers suggest that Mexican women are increasingly deciding to risk their lives and make the dangerous journey across national lines. as many as 35 percent to 45 percent of those crossing the border illegally today are women. Twenty years ago, fewer than 20 percent of the people crossing illegally were women, she said. The arduous trek can be extremely dangerous for women, with reports of rape, drugs, theft, and violence. The trend among Mexican women crossing exposes the highly gendered aspects of immigration and will undoubtedly be jeapordized (or completely squashed) by the recent appointment of Ellen Sauerbrey as head of the Refugee, Population, and Migration Bureau.