At the beginning of the month, I traveled to Caborca, Méx. with Fernanda Santos to document migrants who were on the journey of their lives as they escaped violence and hunger in their home countries. This was one of the most difficult assignments I’ve worked on. Watching people risk life and limb for an opportunity to get to the U.S., later to be told by their loved ones about POTUS’s plans to make it more difficult for people without special skills or a lot of money to immigrate. They understand that if they ever reach the U.S. they’ll encounter 10,000 more CBP agents, increased ICE activity and xenophobia from the citizenry.

We spent a few days at the Pueblo Sin Fronteras shelters for migrants in Sonoyta and Caborca. We also saw people riding and running to catch La Bestia—a commercial train that runs from Central America to Mexicali and which many migrants ride, despite its reputation for danger and death.

Most of the people I got to speak with were from Honduras. There were also a few men from El Salvador and Guatemala. There was one woman at the shelter when I was there. She didn’t want to be photographed so we just talked. She told me of the horrors of the migration north—especially for women, who are often raped and abused as they try to find a better life for themselves. It planted the bug in me to return to tell their story some day. 

When asked if they could have “done it legally” many people told me with a wistful look that if they had that money they would have used it to feed their families. They have nothing but the desire for a better life for their loved ones and themselves, and that’s why they are attempting this life-threatening trip. Thanks for looking

And here is the pdf of the photos in print! We got a color page for this, which is always exciting.