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Families Divided

Chaos at the Texas-Mexico border: Scenes from Tornillo to the Rio Grande Valley

The Tribune is at the border with reporters, photographers and videographers as we follow this fast-moving story. Here are scenes from the hectic weekend.

by Alana Rocha, Jacob Villanueva and John Jordan

Genesis waits with her brother Jose as her mother gets bus tickets in McAllen on June 23, 2018. Her family was camped out on the Brownsville/Gateway International Bridge for four days, seeking asylum.
A young girl named Genesis waits with her brother Jose as their mother gets bus tickets in McAllen on June 23, 2018. Her family was camped out on the Brownsville/Gateway International Bridge for four days, seeking asylum. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune

Families Divided

The Trump administration's “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which led to the separation of children from adults who crossed the border illegally, has fueled a national outcry. Sign up for our ongoing coverage. Send story ideas to tips@texastribune.org.

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Credit: Alana Rocha

The Tribune's reporting for this project is supported by the Pulitzer Center.

From the Tornillo Point of Entry south of El Paso to the Rio Grande Valley hundreds of miles away, this weekend was a blur as uncertainty around the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy sparked more questions than answers. Our reporters, photographers and videographers have been on the ground. Here is some of what they saw.

Friday, June 22

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn hold a press conference at the Weslaco Border Patrol station on Friday, June 22, 2018. They were joined by Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Manuel Padilla (center) and local mayors.
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn hold a press conference at the Border Patrol station in Weslaco on Friday, June 22, 2018. They were joined by Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Manuel Padilla (center) and local mayors. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune

McAllen, Texas USA June 22, 2018: About 25 immigrant mothers and their children caught coming across the Texas-Mexico border are released at the McAllen bus station wearing ankle monitors. Uncertainty at the border remains after President Donald Trump signed an executive order canceling familly separations.
An immigrant at a bus station in McAllen shows her ankle monitor. Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune

Saturday, June 23

A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer on the international bridge between Brownsville and Matamoros, Mexico on June 23, 2018. Some asylum seekers camped out for days on this bridge.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer on the international bridge between Brownsville and Matamoros, Mexico, on June 23, 2018. Some asylum seekers camped out for days on the bridge. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Washington Moreira Batista, 17, waits on the Brownsville/Gateway International Bridge with his father, Jose Moreira Nunez, 52, for their chance to apply for asylum in the United States, on June 23, 2018..
Washington Moreira Batista, 17, waits on the Brownsville/Gateway International Bridge with his father, Jose Moreira Nunez, 52, for their chance to apply for asylum in the United States. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune

Left to right: U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, get instructions prior to touring the tent city erected to house children separated from their parents, at Tornillo Point of Entry on Saturday, June 23, 2018. Photo by Jorge Salgado for The Texas Tribune
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio; U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico; and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, get instructions prior to touring the tent city at Tornillo Port of Entry. Credit: Jorge Salgado for the Texas Tribune
Left to right: U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, accompanied by a Department of Homeland Security officer and aides, approach the tent city erected to house children separated from their parents, at Tornillo Point of Entry on Saturday, June 23, 2018. Photo by Jorge Salgado for The Texas Tribune
Castro, Udall and O'Rourke, accompanied by aides and a Department of Homeland Security officer, approach the tent city in Tornillo. Credit: Jorge Salgado for the Texas Tribune

Religious leaders gather for a rally at a McAllen Border Patrol station on June 23, 2018. Protesters blocked a government bus with immigrant children aboard from leaving.
Religious leaders gather for a rally at a Border Patrol station in McAllen. Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune
A Dallas minister holds a Bible as U.S. Border Patrol and McAllen police guard an immigrant detention center in McAllen on June 23, 2018. Protesters at the site blocked a government bus with immigrant children aboard from leaving.
A Dallas minister holds a Bible outside the immigrant detention center in McAllen. Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune

Immigrants, many wearing ankle monitors, are dropped off at the McAllen Central Station, where they are they are given bus tickets to other parts of the country. On Saturday, June 23, 2018.
Immigrants, many wearing ankle monitors, are dropped off at the McAllen Central Station, where they are they are given bus tickets to other parts of the country. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Families who have received bus tickets and insructions are taken to the Catholic Charity shelter in downtown McAllen, on Saturday, June 23, 2018.
Other families who have received bus tickets and instructions are taken to the Catholic Charities shelter in downtown McAllen. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Jose and his sister, Genesis, smile and play at the McAllen Central Station. The Hernandez family waited for days on the Brownsville/Gateway Port of Entry to apply for asylum and now were at the station to get bus tickets. On June 23, 2018.
Jose and his sister, Genesis, smile and play at the McAllen Central Station. The family waited for days on the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville to apply for asylum. They were at the station to get bus tickets. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune

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Information about the authors

Alana Rocha’s staff photo

Alana Rocha

Director of News Partnerships

Jacob Villanueva’s staff photo
John Jordan’s staff photo

John Jordan

Deputy Director of Photography

jjordan@texastribune.org