You start off with 420 quetzales ($57USD) and plan to cross Guatemala on foot. You enter Mexico and are met by a coyote looking for customers. He assures you that he can get you across safely, but he demands 5200 quetzales ($700USD) as payment. This is far more money than you had saved to start a new life in America. However, you do have a few valuables with you, including a wedding ring.
You will be escorted by someone who knows the land much better than you
He is probably experienced in illegal migration
You will spend a lot of money you don’t have and he could extort and kidnap you
You are less likely to get caught by border patrol.
You are weak and running out of resources.
You could easily get lost.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/27/where-are-the-children
http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-2269-top-10-stories-of-2007-la-migra-comes-to-town.html
https://thinkprogress.org/what-its-really-like-to-cross-the-u-s-mexico-border-a375d80f3cc#.bq6mim7xz
*Cracked is an opinionated source that is typically satirical. However, this article is about one person’s experience crossing the Mexico/US border.