Sorrow, Resilience, and Tenderness: Surviving the Wait at the US-Mexico Border

A video dispatch from a bridge spanning two countries

Every day, migrants arrive at the US-Mexico border hoping to gain entry and find safety. But before they are processed, they must wait—usually for days, sometimes in extreme heat and inhospitable conditions.

Mother Jones reporter Noah Lanard and I spent nearly a week at the border bridges between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico, to meet these migrants ourselves and film their stories. What we found was a powerful mix of tragedy, perseverance, and, we were surprised to discover, hope. 

We will be sharing these stories with you soon. But just to begin, here’s a glimpse of some of the scenes at the border with those who are suspended between two worlds, and those who are trying to help.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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