Katie Hayes Luke

Photographer/Multimedia Producer

American Dreams

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At the base of the Internationa... relatives in San Antonio, Tex.

At the base of the International Bridge in Matamoros, Mex, in 2019, families camp, unsheltered for weeks to cross into the United States to have their chance to claim asylum. Here, a girl from Honduras plays with a hula hoop brought by volunteers. Her family waited for a month before being able to cross and join relatives in San Antonio, Tex.

Ximena is a DACA recipient and ... ago with their small children.

Ximena is a DACA recipient and helps to run the Good Neighbor temporary shelter with her parents on the other side of the border in Brownsville, Tex. The Palomo family, which coordinates the Refugee Resettlement Program for Good Neighbor, knows what it is like to come to the United States needing help. Originally from Mexico, they crossed the border over a decade ago with their small children.

“It started with two ...n through on the journey north.

“It started with two people,” Ximena recounts of her first nights working at the shelter in June of 2018. “And it was horrifying at first. I never thought that we would be sleeping on the floor with strangers.” More horrifying for Ximena was the stories they would tell about violence they had fled in their home countries and what they had been through on the journey north.

Over the next few months, the f...hort stopover on their journey.

Over the next few months, the family gathered and organized donations of clothing, cots and toiletries, making a small two bedroom apartment that could sleep up to 20 people. The goal was to give the migrants a peaceful place to eat, shower and rest during this short stopover on their journey.

A group of roughly 20 individua...r through the Monsees property.

A group of roughly 20 individuals wait to cross over the Rio Grande River through the Monsees property.

Rusty Monsees, not pictured, ha...he says, the stakes are higher.

Rusty Monsees, not pictured, has lived on this 21 acre ranch that borders the Rio Grande for all of his life. Since he was a little boy, he remembers dealing with people that have crossed into the U.S. illegally. Now, he says, the stakes are higher.

Monees says individuals crossin... daily looking for individuals.

Monees says individuals crossing his land are more aggressive today, compared to his childhood, often with large amounts of drugs. Monsees and his friend, David, patrol his land daily looking for individuals.

Off the record, a border patrol...ls that are entering illegally.

Off the record, a border patrol agent explained that the influx increase of families seeking asylum in early 2019 impacts their ability to patrol and capture individuals that are entering illegally.

According to a border patrol ag...inics takes up most of the day.

According to a border patrol agent, off the record and not photographed, they often apprehend more than 30 people - women and children- in one day. They do not have to chase them down, those seeking asylum often turn themselves in. However, the paperwork, delivering them back to be processed and taking them to medical clinics takes up most of the day.

Roughly 100 miles north of the ... five more they have not found.

Roughly 100 miles north of the border, Brooks County has the highest migrant death rate in Texas. This is the ninth migrant death in Brooks County for 2019, which is about half of what they usually find by May. Sheriff Benny Martinez says that he believes for each person they find, there are five more they have not found.

Zaira Gonzales poses for a port...019 (Katie Hayes Luke for NPR )

Zaira Gonzales poses for a portrait by the grave of her brother, Christian Gonzalez, in Palestine, Texas. Christian died in Falfurrias, Texas in September of 2012 while crossing illegally into the United States from Mexico. Monday, May 06, 2019 (Katie Hayes Luke for NPR )

Since June of 2018, Michael Ben...ay, bringing food and clothing.

Since June of 2018, Michael Benavides, a Special Education Advisor with Brownsville ISD, has crossed the International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas twice a day at breakfast and dinner, bringing food, clothing and supplies to individuals waiting on the Mexican side of the bridge in Matamoros, Mexico. What started as a daily, predawn act of kindness, and a response to the Trump Administration’ immigration policy, has grown into Team Brownsville. He and other volunteers now cross over twice a day, bringing food and clothing.

Benavides began his work with T...s on a chicken wing.”

Benavides began his work with TEAM Brownsville June of 2018 at the height of the Trump Administration’s “Zero Tolerance Policy.” For Benavides, this work came out of a place of desperation and is a form of resistance against the administration. “I don’t have children, but if I did, they would ask you what did you do during this time.I have resisted the entire time. If that means bringing breakfast every morning and dinner every night. I attend every rally. I have resisted the entire time. Until he is impeached, arrested or chokes on a chicken wing.”

The numbers of people waiting t...one size nine and a half shoes.

The numbers of people waiting to claim asylum swelled during the first few months of 2019. In February, Benavides would see roughly 50 people a day waiting for him. On this particular night there are over a 150 men, women and children waiting in line for dinner. Team Brownsville loaded up three wagons with seven tents, water, two large containers of rice and beans, twenty boxes of pizza, hula hoops and one size nine and a half shoes.

These families often have to wa...Good Neighbor, step in to help.

These families often have to wait for weeks before being allowed across the bridge to claim asylum and they are immediately taken to detention. Once released from Ice, another group of volunteers from the local homeless shelter, Good Neighbor, step in to help.

Not only did the numbers change...nformation of the new arrivals.

Not only did the numbers change, but the makeup of the groups changed as well. Now they were seeing almost entirely families with children. “The numbers are frankley staggering.” says Jack White, executive director of Good Neighbor Settlement House. “The first week we processed over 2,500 people. For a small nonprofit with five staff members, our volunteers are tired and our people are sick, but we are going to do what needs to be done.” Here, Ximena’s mother, who is undocumented herself, takes down information of the new arrivals.

The shelter is open seven days ...d airports open in the morning.

The shelter is open seven days a week, helping asylum seekers make contact with family members and providing overnight shelter until the bus station and airports open in the morning.

Good Neighbor provides clothing...ne packet for the travel ahead.

Good Neighbor provides clothing, food, showers, a bed for the night and a hygiene packet for the travel ahead.

For many, including Ximena&... is realized on the other side.

For many, including Ximena’s parents, the American Dream starts on one side of the border and is realized on the other side.

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Thumbnail of At the base of the International_n relatives in San Antonio, Tex.

Thumbnail of Ximena is a DACA recipient and h_e ago with their small children.

Thumbnail of “It started with two p_en through on the journey north.

Thumbnail of Over the next few months, the fa_short stopover on their journey.

Thumbnail of A group of roughly 20 individual_er through the Monsees property.

Thumbnail of Rusty Monsees, not pictured, has_ he says, the stakes are higher.

Thumbnail of Monees says individuals crossing_d daily looking for individuals.

Thumbnail of Off the record, a border patrol _als that are entering illegally.

Thumbnail of According to a border patrol age_linics takes up most of the day.

Thumbnail of Roughly 100 miles north of the b_e five more they have not found.

Thumbnail of Zaira Gonzales poses for a portr_2019 (Katie Hayes Luke for NPR )

Thumbnail of Since June of 2018, Michael Bena_day, bringing food and clothing.

Thumbnail of Benavides began his work with TE_es on a chicken wing.”

Thumbnail of The numbers of people waiting to_ one size nine and a half shoes.

Thumbnail of These families often have to wai_ Good Neighbor, step in to help.

Thumbnail of Not only did the numbers change,_information of the new arrivals.

Thumbnail of The shelter is open seven days a_nd airports open in the morning.

Thumbnail of Good Neighbor provides clothing,_ene packet for the travel ahead.

Thumbnail of For many, including Ximena&r_d is realized on the other side.

Public Project

American Dreams

Copyright Katie Hayes Luke 2024

Date of Work Feb 2019 - Ongoing

Updated Mar 2020

Topics texas

American Dreams

Texas has a complex relationship with immigration, which has been exacerbated in the last few years by the continuous news cycle about immigration, asylum seekers and the building of a border wall.I went there see this through the eyes of the immigrants - the ones that don’t have anywhere to go and that many say don’t belong.

My reporting started near the banks of the Rio Grande in early 2019. On one side, men, women and children coming to the United States. On the other side, two groups struggle with the recent surge in the numbers of asylum seekers: those who want to help and those who want to keep them out.

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