This man waited days to join his family in the U.S. and seek asylum. They asked him to turn back. (audio)

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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Marcos Samayoa fled persecution in Guatemala to seek asylum in the United States. But his journey came to an abrupt halt at the halfway point of the bridge between Matamoros, Mexico, and Brownsville, Texas. And after sleeping on the bridge for three nights, he received a sobering message from his family.

The Texas Tribune's reporting on the Families Divided project is supported by the Pulitzer Center, which will also help bring discussions on this important topic to schools and universities in Texas and across the United States through its K-12 and Campus Consortium networks.

Editor's note: Neena Satija is a reporter for The Texas Tribune and Reveal, which is a weekly radio program produced by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. For more, check out the Reveal website and subscribe to the podcast.