A migrant's journey to the US border
Newsy
The journey alone for migrants to get to the U.S.-Mexico border can be long and dangerous, but for many it's only the beginning.
We get questions all the time about what happens when a migrant is apprehended at the border. The honest answer is: It all depends on a number of factors and variables.
It's just before 5 a.m. on a Wednesday. Under the cover of darkness, three migrants cross over from Mexico near a border wall outside of Yuma, Arizona. But within moments, Border Patrol agents are there to take them into custody.
Just a short drive away, about 20 migrants are camping out, waiting for Border Patrol agents to arrive and apprehend them as well. All of the migrants Scripps News Phoenix spoke to in that area plan to request asylum, like Maritza and her 6-year-old daughter.
They've built a small fire to keep themselves warm on a chilly desert night. Maritza says they are fleeing gang violence in Chile — where she owned a small clothing store — and explained that she is fearful for her life.
"You don't play with them," she said.
