a woman and her baby at a Migrant House on the Texas, Mexico border

Scenes From a Migration Crisis—On Both Sides of the Border

These migrants, asylum seekers, aid workers, and officers are fighting for better lives and stronger communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Vanessa (name changed for safety) found refuge and safety at a domestic violence shelter in Laredo, Texas, after her boyfriend threatened her with deportation. “They could deport me without my daughters, because [my daughters] are citizens,” she says.
Photograph by Luján Agusti, National Geographic

“I am both the mother and the father,” says Rubén España. At 25, he’s a single father, and on the Mexican side of the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge, he holds his two-year-old son, Dylan Fabricio. The pair had spent two-and-a-half months walking and hitching rides from Honduras to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. They’d been sleeping on a square of cardboard along the edge of the bridge with a hundred or so Hondurans, Cubans, and Venezuelans—waiting to cross into the U.S. to request asylum.

España heard news of President Trump’s separation policy while he was traveling. “I am scared, but I have to take that risk,” he explains. “Imagine if I am separated from my child, after all that I have

Unlock this story for free
Create an account to read the full story and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles.

Unlock this story for free

Want the full story? Sign up to keep reading and unlock hundreds of Nat Geo articles for free.
Already have an account?
SIGN IN

Read This Next

Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?
How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places
Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet