Vanguard | November 15, 2010 | 27 comments

How to Cross the U.S.-Mexico Border: Vanguard Behind the Scenes

Adam_Yamaguchi

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In August 2010, Vanguard correspondent Christof Putzel sought to document the illegal crossing of migrants from Mexico into the U.S. His safety during the arduous, three-day desert trek was Current TV's main priority. Using satellite phones, GPS trackers and two-way radios, a team of producers on the ground in Arizona, as well as Christof's colleagues back at Vanguard's offices in Los Angeles, were able to track his progress every step of the way.

In "Life And Death On The Border," Putzel travels to the U.S.-Mexico border to investigate one of the most contentious issues in America today: immigration. Meeting with "coyotes," the hired smugglers who offer to take immigrants across the border for a fee, Putzel learns the methods used to evade border patrol and the dangers they face on the journey. Arrest and deportation are inherent risks, but the lack of water and scorching temperatures of the desert crossing are far more deadly. Those who do make it safely across the border face tightening immigration laws and an increasingly hostile public. Putzel ultimately crosses the border with a migrant and coyote.

"Life And Death On The Border" premieres on Monday, November 15 at 9/8c on Current TV.

"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Mondays at 9/8c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.

For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.
  1. groups:
    Current Video,   Best of TV US,   Vanguard,   Vanguard Weekly Special,   3 more
  2. tags:
    Travel,  United States,  Mexico,  Immigration,  10 more
  3. credits:
    Adam_Yamaguchi Correspondent, mdirenzo Editor, shana Producer, more
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27 comments // How to Cross the U.S.-Mexico Border: Vanguard Behind the Scenes // Video

  • Vitaliy_Kuzmin
  • alekseybulash
  • Vitaliy_Kuzmin
  • Vitaliy_Kuzmin
  • udt101
  • ninetyseven
  • stacylboala
    • 0
      stacylboala  

    • i will reveal who the who the true prophet is when i figure out how to get a virgin preggers without having sex!!!!!!! PLEASE DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH !!!!!!

    • 1 year ago
  • stacylboala
  • stacylboala
    • 0
      stacylboala  

    • i use to do it once every 4 to 6 weeks until the cartels wanted to take over everything.....i'm an american....born and raised in the inbreed south.....and yes it was for profit....it's called american demand and I chose american supplier of mexican product..ie...hillbilly herion...the old oxycontin express....a 50lb backpack...28lbs of water 4.7lbs of food....9.4lbs of taurus pt pro&ammo in .40cal....21 months =14 good trips , 1 abort , and ive been retired almost 9 years now..

    • 1 year ago
  • udt101
  • elizabherbert
    • 0
      elizabherbert  

    • @Audie59...are you using Safari? I found Firefox doesn't have as many problems with buffering...not perfect, but better. I agree with your point entirely, and had the same thoughts about the Olbermann draw you mention. @current: PLEASE IMPROVE!!!

    • 1 year ago
  • Audie59
  • Audie59
    • +1
      Audie59  

    • 3 seconds viewing, 6 seconds buffering, 3 seconds viewing, 5 seconds buffering, 4 seconds viewing, 7 seconds buffering, 3 seconds viewing, 8 seconds buffering, 4 seconds viewing, 6 seconds buffering, 2 seconds viewing, 7 seconds buffering. If you do not take care of this, Olbermann, and all the future talent that he may draw in will be absolutely useless. I'd even refuse to watch porn that took this long to buffer.

    • 1 year ago
  • Sandman911
    • -5
      Sandman911  

    • I'm in Palm Springs, California and the illegals here own and operate their own illegal businesses paying no taxes, no licenses, no insurance, no workers comp and no payroll. They under bid us legal guys by 1/3 and we cant touch their prices with state and federal government RAISING all our costs we're going out of business by the dozens. To add insult to injury, these same illegals are in poverty ON PAPER and recieve HUD low income housing, WIC, foodstamps, free medical, free school lunches and every other benefit they can get. On the average they earn $80,000 a year in CASH and collect another $80,000 in benefits. Wish i could do $160,000 a year with no taxes !!!!

    • 1 year ago
  • Angel4Autism
    • +2
      Angel4Autism  
    • Sandman911:

      How can you make up stories like that. There are so many illegals living in poverty in
      "poverty camps', washing dishes in the restaurants, picking the produce we love to eat ( for as low as price as possible) and working in the fields doing jobs most people are unwilling to do. Give them work visa's and collect social security and taxes on the money they make. They are our gardeners, housekeepers, nannies, ( Meg Whitman, Michael Huffington to name a few) and dishwashers. I will lay you money the ones who "own companies" are for the most part legal immigrants. Mexicans are some of the hardest working people I have met. Why does the right wing continue to perpetrate this lie. Business would shut down in AZ and the border states without illegals. We need them as much as they need us, again, give them work visa's and they would live in MX and work here. If Americans took these jobs the cost of produce would rise astronomically!

      Can immigrants get food stamps in California?

      Yes. In California, “qualified” immigrants and a few other immigrants who meet the program’s requirements can get food stamps. California’s program is available to these immigrants regardless of when they entered the United States.

      Who is a qualified immigrant?
      You are a “qualified” immigrant if you are a:
      ƒ Lawful permanent resident (you have a green card)
      ƒ Refugee, or were granted asylum
      ƒ Cuban or Haitian entrant
      ƒ Battered spouse (or child), whose spouse (or parent) has filed a visa petition for you, or you have filed a visa petition for yourself or an application for cancellation of removal under the Violence Against Women Act. There are special rules for domestic violence survivors.

    • 1 year ago
  • Tim_Patrick
    • 0
      Tim_Patrick  
    • Sandman911:

      Mr. Sandman911,

      What you have just wrote is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone who has viewed this is now dumber for having read it.

      You make no sense, and may God have mercy on your soul.

    • 1 year ago
  • Sandman911
    • +2
      Sandman911  
    • Angel4Autism:

      "Lies" ??? I'm living it. I lose 60% of my work to illegals in the construction field. California spends $14 billion a year providing benefits to illegals and the Center for Immigration Studies printed a list in the L.A. Times giving the percentages for illegal aliens in California. 60% of ALL HUD low income housing are illegal. 38% of ALL inmates are illegal, 68% of ALL births are by illegal aliens at taxpayer expense. Nationally we spend $360 BILLION on illegals, enough to provide FREE healthcare for ALL U.S. Citizens. Ponder that for a while.

    • 1 year ago
  • Sandman911
  • Tim_Patrick
    • +1
      Tim_Patrick  
    • Sandman911:

      I see that sourcing evidence and facts is not a commonplace thing to do for those who glorify illegal immigration. As a Citizen of this nation, I was laid off from work due to reasons beyond my control. I was eligible for all the unemployment benefits this nation offered. I wasn't even making 18k a year; and I was steeply taxed on what I was given.

      Luckily, I found another job in just a couple months. I seriously doubt that some ragged stranger that shows up on the streets can just be given 80k for nothing; and if that were the truth then we would have seen a lot more news stories creep up over the last few years. But wait a second . . . there has been a very interesting news story lately:

      Barack Obama is tougher on Illegal immigration than President Bush. Any chance Obama won your vote in 2012 because of that?

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ZUfgItWsk

    • 1 year ago
  • SayNoToGOP
  • bambuu
  • Sandman911
    • +1
      Sandman911  
    • bambuu:

      They tell me. They only accept cash, have no checking accounts and earning that much money on paper would disqualify them for state and federal benefits. It's why they don't want an amnesty bill to go through congress, it would cut their standard of living in half.

    • 1 year ago
  • benjaminV
  • hindotka
  • Tim_Patrick
    • +3
      Tim_Patrick  
    • hindotka:

      I doubt they were suggesting that illegal immigrants have all of those tools. I think they were making the point that the crew was safe during the filming. Either way, You do make a good point. The Mexican government does have a lot to blame for the immigration problem.

      However, the US government is equally to blame; the US government provides for the common well-being of their citizens, and guarantees the people freedom and inalienable rights. These things are worth fighting, and even dying for. Sadly, U.S. Citizens have taken their freedom for granted, as they sit behind their keyboards, silently judging those who they do not understand, hidden behind the veil of the internet.

    • 1 year ago
  • mosthated
    • +4
      mosthated  

    • The purpose of this is to educate people about what's going on. So that there is no ignorance. So that you understand why people are trying to come over here. And that they are not all bad people. Its definitely a problem but its both a problem for the Mexican and US government. And it needs to be addressed from both sides. So i think this helps.
      The US was made from cheap labor. First slaves and now illegal immigrants. If we really wanted them all out it could have been already done. But I don't think the Goverment can afford to do so in the long run.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
    • -7
      ayipis  

    • what the fuck is the whole purpose to this?? it would be best served if all this resources is directed at the real problem..the Mexican government..

      but then again this is not really about helping these people but helping your ratings...

      TRAGIC..these illegals are getting exploited from all sides.. *spit*

    • 1 year ago

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