Features

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico — Para Lizette, el sueño americano es algo en el cual ella está dispuesta para luchar. Ella junto con sus tres hijos y su esposo embarcaron en un viaje que les tomaría años. “Queremos entrar legalmente”, Lizette dijo. Lizette decidió ir a la Ciudad de México para pedir asilo. El 13 de […]

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Tom Schmerber, an Eagle Pass native, has dedicated most of his life to the safety of his community. In 1982, he started work as a Border Patrol Agent. In 2013 he was sworn in as the newly elected Maverick County Sheriff and has now been re-elected in 2016, 2020 and 2024. […]

QUEMADO, Texas — Dan Jaeger is the store owner of Jaeger’s 3-in-1 in Quemado, Texas, a town of 1,322 people 1.5 miles of the border, according to the United States Census Bureau. Aside from being a business owner, he is also a Pentecostal pastor. The business’ name is based on the name of the Father, […]

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico — Four years ago, Carlos and his family fled El Salvador, leaving everything behind. Now, his wife and son are in Boston, while Carlos still waits at the border. Carlos and his family used to own a bakery in El Salvador. But then the gangs got involved, forcing their small business to […]

Orly’s Barbecue was the first barbecue restaurant in Eagle Pass, Texas, and now they have loyal customers. Susana Rivera, owner of Orly’s, talks about her personal encounters with migrants. Samantha Calderon is there with the story. This project was created through a journalism class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies Department. […]

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Epi’s Canoe and Kayak Team was founded in 2015. It was a joint effort between Jessie Fuentes, the city of Eagle Pass and the City Main Street Program to bring positive attention to the Rio Grande. Through federal and state funding opportunities they were able to launch progressive canoe and kayak […]

Maverick County’s Sheriff Tom Schmerber is an Eagle Pass native. Sheriff Schmerber, a former border patrol agent who is of Mexican and German heritage, explains how Maverick County has been affected by the 2023 border crisis. Samantha Calderon is there with the story. This project was created through a journalism class at the University of […]

EAGLE PASS, Texas — The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has taken over Shelby Park in Eagle Pass for Operation Loan Star since July of 2023. Meanwhile, he resides over 200 miles away, in the Austin Texas Governor’s Mansion, leaving the residents of Eagle Pass to deal with the ramifications of their community and park. […]

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, México — Era un día caluroso con la sensación de 32℃ por el cual el sol pegaba fuerte a todos en el lado mexicano y americano. El Puente Internacional 1 de Piedras Negras tiene una plaza colorido que tiene muchos paisajes. Había muchas mariposas monarcas y el pasto era verde. Los turistas pueden […]

This project was created through a journalism class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies Department. This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club.

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Orly’s BBQ has been open in Eagle Pass for over four years. The business was originally based out of San Antonio. In 2019, Susana Rivera, who is originally from Eagle Pass, and her husband decided to bring their business back home. “We wanted to share our recipes and food with our […]

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico — Lizette’s journey to find a better life for her family has been very long, but even with the U.S. border so close, she and her family’s journey is still far from finished. She and her family come from Maracaibo, Venezuela. She had a business there, working as a nail stylist. However, […]