On a 90-degree day in early May, hundreds of migrants were gathered on American soil near a border gate in El Paso.
Many had waited for days, without food, shelter or enough water and bathrooms, before Border Patrol agents allowed them through the gate and took them to holding facilities.
The contrast in scenes illustrates a central challenge of Customs and Border Protection’s mission.
The agency, which includes the Border Patrol, was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Even as few pose security threats, the American government has been sending the biggest law enforcement agency in the country to arrest and subsequently care for refugees.
Organizations:
Border Patrol, El Paso Convention Center, Customs, Patrol
Locations:
El Paso, United States