NOGALES, Mexico: The two teens had trekked in the Sonoran Desert’s searing heat for four days and were lost and almost out of water when border patrol agents in Arizona spotted them.

Now, hours after being deported back to Mexico, 19-year-old Rodriguo and his 17-year-old brother Jose sat quietly on a recent evening in El Comedor, a shelter in the town of Nogales within sight of the US border and its promise of a sweeter future.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details