No place to hide along the border


Immigration advocates holding a rally in California to protest Trump’s plans to conduct mass deportation of immigrants without legal status. — ©2025 The New York Times Company

FOR the last quarter of a century, Maria’s version of the American dream has been confined to a small corner of South Texas, tucked between the border with Mexico and a fortified Border Patrol checkpoint 124km north.

Maria, who crossed illegally from Mexico in 1998 and is the mother of two US-born teenagers, is one of thousands of immigrants who have long lived in a netherworld along the Texas border, tied to family members who are citizens but trapped in an unusual part of the country where, without legal immigration documents, it is all but impossible for them to stray far from their adopted hometowns.

Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM9.73 only

Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM8.63/month

Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
StarExtra , border , Mexico

Next In Focus

Haiti’s lost generation
Exiled, then executed
Trump digs in as world goes green
A broken homecoming
Chablis faces a warming world
Trump’s global ripple effect
Ending an eight-decade wait
Musk’s Lost Boys and Trump’s Mean Girls
America First or America Alone?
Editorial: Eggs-pensive groceries in the USA

Others Also Read