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The Trump Administration adopted a “zero-tolerance” policy, filing criminal charges against anyone crossing the border from Mexico illegally.
Thousands of children were separated from their parents in the process.
The majority of Americans disapproved of the separations.
The president ended them.
Some children have been reunited with their parents.
Others remain in shelters.
((PKG)) SEPARATED FAMILIES / SOUTH TEXAS VALUES
((Banner: Reaction from the Border))
((Reporter: Ramon Taylor))
((Camera: Ramon Taylor, Aline Barros))
((Map: Rio Grande Valley, Texas))
((Larry Genuchi, Retired Teacher))
I don’t know how many times I've pulled into here. I'd bring cigarettes back in the old days when I smoked. You'd pay duty on them.
I understand the idea of stopping illegal people. I’m really more concerned about the drugs than I am illegal people, I really am. I taught children who came across every day who would talk about gunfire that they would hear at night in their homes, and that frightened me. That frightened me. And my wife and I have not been across in a long, long time because of that very reason. But as far as the rest of it goes, I can’t say that I do. I’m not real happy with the parents for having risked their lives, but I tell them I understand. I really do. But I’m worried about those children.
((Locator ID or Banner: US Border Patrol Processing Center, known as Ursula))
((Ramon Montoya, Mechanical Engineering Student))
If you look over here, that’s Ursula right there. There’s hundreds of kids here, suffering things that they might never get over. You know, they're going to be traumatized for life, because of some decisions that a couple of politicians are making.
You know, we have so many examples in the past of, of times in our world’s history where people have been victim to these kinds of injustices, and now we're the ones causing the harm.
((Larry Genuchi, Retired Teacher))
You know, as a parent, you're risking your child's life coming here, okay? So obviously things must be so bad, that you'll risk your child’s life to get here. And I understand that. I’m a parent and I’m also a grandfather. And I’m telling you, taking away children, putting them in danger, boy, it goes against everything in my body.
((Ramon Montoya, Mechanical Engineering Student))
It’s such a beautiful area we live in here. It’s the fusion of two cultures, of the American and the Mexican culture. It’s where the Tex meets the Mex. I wish it wasn't this way, because this place has a lot to offer, and it’s sad to see it disgraced by something like this.
