Along the United States - Mexico border in California changing immigration restrictions have added to the uncertainty faced by those seeking to enter the U.S. Since 2016 the number of migrant shelters in Tijuana has grown from five to more than 30. Migrants staying in overflowing shelters live in an indefinite state of waiting. From Tijuana to the eastern corner of San Diego counties, migrants who cross the border and present themselves to immigration authorities sometimes wait days without shelter and little access to food and water until they are processed. This ongoing photo project aims to capture the toll that living with fear and uncertainty has for the thousands of families and individuals who find themselves in limbo in deserts, mountains and cities along the border. It also strives to show the ways people come together to build community and support one another through each day.
Mairani Rubio Padilla, her son Tadeo and Hazel Lucia Flores Rodriguez look up towards a window at the Libélula women’s shelter in Tijuana, Dec. 9, 2022.
A group plays the game Memoria at the Libélula Women's Shelter in Tijuana, Dec. 16, 2022.
Dora Alicia Rodriguez pulls dry clothes off the line at the Libélula Women's Shelter in Tijuana, Dec. 19, 2022.
Mairani Rubio Padilla and her son Tadeo wait at San Diego International Airport for a flight that will reunite them with family in the United States, Dec. 14, 2022.
A view of the outskirts of Tijuana is shown from a window at the Libélula Women's Shelter, Dec. 16, 2022.
Migrants wait to be processed by immigration authorities in the desert near Boulevard, Sept. 17, 2023.
A group of migrants from Colombia wait by make-shift shelters in the Jucumba Wilderness, May 13, 2023.
A man from China is searched by a border patrol agent before boarding a bus to a processing center near Boulevard, Jan 2. 2023.
A couple from Colombia looks out over an area near Boulevard where hundreds of migrants are waiting to be processed by immigration authorities, Oct. 2, 2023.
Migrants enter a United States Border Patrol van which will transport them to an immigration processing center near Boulevard, Sept. 26, 2023.
Noreglis Flores waits outside of the port of entry in San Diego after entering the United States using the CBP One application, Sept. 16, 2024. Zoë Meyers for KQED
Dozens of people work to move a truckload of cinder blocks for new construction at the Templo de Embajadores shelter in Tijuana, Dec. 1, 2022.
A woman traveling with her son and brother from El Salvador process the news that their CBP One application appointment for that day had been cancelled, Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 20, 2025.
From left, Venezuelans Gregory Montilla, his wife Edimar Guédez and Erixon Camacho wait for a flight at San Diego International Airport, Sept. 16, 2024. Zoë Meyers for KQED
A United States Border Patrol agent drives east between the primary and secondary walls at the U.S. - Mexico border in San Diego, Sept. 16, 2024. Zoë Meyers for KQED
A member of the Mexican military keeps watch of the U.S. - Mexico border from a military camp in Tecate, Sept. 17, 2024. The camps were established along the border earlier in the year to deter migrant crossings. Zoë Meyers for KQED
The border wall near Jacumba Hot Springs is shown on, Jan 3. 2023.
A family from Peru tries to stay warm under blankets while waiting to be processed by immigration authorities near Boulevard, Jan 3. 2023.
Migrants wait to be processed by immigration authorities near Boulevard, Jan 2. 2023.
Migrants from Brazil try to stay warm by a fire near Jacumba Hot Springs, Jan 3. 2023.
Migrants frequently travel through a rugged and dangerous area in La Rumorosa when attempting to cross the U.S. - Mexico border, Sept. 17, 2024. Zoë Meyers for KQED