Eagle Pass Resident Continuously Helps Migrants

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Amber Duncan has lived in front of Shelby Park for five years. During the past few months, she has seen countless migrants attempt to cross the Rio Grande and those who strive to change their lives.

What once was a park filled with happiness and joy is now a military base overtaken by the Texas National Guard since January 2024. Texan Gov. Greg Abbott initiated Operation Lone Star in 2021 to counteract illegal immigration.

The former park oversees Rio Grande and its neighboring country, Mexico. Border Patrol agents are visible within the fenced-up Shelby Park.

She is the mother of five children. Before moving to Eagle Pass, she had previously lived in Bastrop and Kyle, Texas. Three of her five ex-partners have been deported to Mexico. The other two live in sanctuary cities near Austin, Texas.

The Texan native was eating and spending time with her loved ones. Her kids were seen running around playing with one another while screaming. Duncan was preparing dinner and setting up the table. She was sitting down overseeing the green and lively park.

The situation changed Duncan’s life entirely. Now she crosses the international bridge on foot with her children every Friday. She does this so her kids are able to spend time with their father.

Even though Duncan does not like former President Donald Trump per se, she does say that he has some valid points. Trump, according to her, has helped decrease illegal immigration.

Duncan does want to make it clear that she is willing to help whomever is in need, no matter their migration status.

There has been a decrease number of migrants crossings since its peak in December 2023; however, Duncan remembers vividly seeing a number of them running from Mexico to the United States.

She and her children used to go to Shelby Park to walk around and spend time as family considering it is a two-minute walk from their backyard.

Duncan says that the U.S. government seems to think Shelby Park is a military park rather than a park. She also mentions that the sole purpose of agents is to guard the river on the other side of Mexico.

Their house is visible on the other side of the river in Piedras Negras, Mexico, specifically by International Bridge 1.

She has given money and food to migrants. Her children have also donated goods to them and are aware of the situation they are living in.

Duncan used to see this woman whom she nicknamed “Cundadera de pierdras” (which translates to “rock healer”). She jokingly describes her appearance as someone who just came from a body of water. The healer was always full of dirt and mud.

Since Shelby Park closed its public park purposes, Duncan has not seen the folk healer. She thinks the healer continued on with her journey.

“Migrants were shipped out on buses from Eagle Pass and transferred to New York and other cities,” Duncan said. “Now they live on the streets.”

There have been multiple instances in which Duncan visits migrants at hospitals. There was another time that she saw two sisters, roughly 12 and 13-years-old, urgently go up to Duncan and ask for her phone. Duncan noticed bruises on these girls, and gave them food while they got help.

She also says that her children had to learn how to adapt to living from Mexico to the U.S.

The Eagle Pass resident claims that at one point of her residence, the park’s view was completely obstructed by brushes. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida sent his state’s National Guard soldiers among other law enforcement to Texas in February 2024. They are still in Shelby Park guarding the U.S. side of the river.

She knows that many unsupervised children cross the border. She questions the government by demanding to know where these children end up.

Duncan recalls a time in which her three children were waiting for the school bus. About 20 migrants were near the bus stop when all of a sudden the Border Patrol came. Her children were mistaken as migrants, so Duncan had to explain to the Border Patrol that her children are U.S. citizens.

“My heart goes for them. I got that motherly instinct. Your heart melts for them,” Duncan said.

---

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.