At the Edge of Passage

Mother holding a young child, standing next to a girl on a dirt path outdoors under a cloudy sky.

Ciudad Juárez, December 2022

These photographs are from one trip to Ciudad Juárez in December 2022. I traveled with my good friend, and photojournalist Roberto Rosales, to witness what was happening along the Rio Bravo at the U.S. Mexico border.

What stays with me is how normal life tries to exist inside something so unstable. Families huddled under bridges with backpacks at their feet. Small fires in the dirt for warmth. Phones glowing in the dark, the only link to home and the only map forward. Kids who still found ways to play while adults stared at the water, the fences, the uniforms, the cameras.

Being there felt like standing at the edge of something bigger than any one person. I couldn’t offer answers or protection, and I couldn’t carry anyone across that line. What I could do was witness with care and make a record that doesn’t look away. These photographs are my way of holding onto what happened in front of me, so the people in them aren’t reduced to a headline or a number.

Group of six people sitting on the ground outdoors, with some wearing hoodies and jackets, and one wrapped in a blanket, appearing somber or reflective.
A black and white photo of a man wearing a striped sweater and hooded jacket, clasping his hands together, standing outdoors with a cloudy sky and distant hills in the background.
Three people walking along a riverbank with bushes, while a flock of birds flies overhead in a black-and-white photo.
A group of police officers and media personnel behind a chain-link fence near a pile of clothes and blankets on the ground.
Black and white photo of police vehicles with officers and camera crew on a street, with utility poles and lines in the background.
A large group of people, including children and adults, gathered near a border fence topped with barbed wire, with soldiers and security personnel present, suggesting a scene of migration or border crossing.
Two men standing outdoors at night near a bridge, one in a striped winter jacket with hood, the other in dark clothing, with city lights and a bridge in the background.
A group of six young men standing outdoors, wearing hoodies and jackets, with some wearing masks and one smoking a cigarette, in black and white photos.
Black and white photo of a woman wearing a face mask, a coat with a fur-lined hood, and a lanyard, outdoors against a cloudy sky.
Group of mostly young men in casual clothing, some with hoods or masks, gathered outdoors. Some are facing the camera, while others are turned away or engaged in conversation. Several shoes are placed on a ledge above them, and a computer monitor is
A man helping a young girl in a wheelchair with a blanket, while a woman offers her a drink in a street scene.
A large group of people gathered outdoors, some wearing backpacks and winter clothing. Some are standing, with a few sitting on the ground or drinking water. There is barbed wire in the background.
A group of people on the street at night, some standing or walking, with steam rising from the ground, in front of a high wall or fence with vertical bars.
Group of people standing and sitting on an overpass, some looking down, one person waving. Black and white photograph.
A man with a hoodie featuring an eye and pyramid symbol on the front, standing outdoors with a cloudy sky, with two other people blurred in the background.
A group of people, some wearing masks, are gathered behind a barbed wire fence, with two immigration officers in uniform at the front reaching out to a man in a Captain America hoodie. The officers are positioned near the barbed wire, and one is sitt
Person sitting by a river, wearing a Venezuelan flag, watching a large crowd at a protest or gathering on the other side.
Person standing by small fire on a dirt riverbank at night, with city lights and bridges illuminated in the background.
A group of people gathered around a small campfire outdoors, under a bridge on a cloudy day.
A person wearing a red beanie hat and a red and black hoodie, holding two children, one in each arm. One child is wearing a brown jacket and the other, a grey sweater and colorful patterned pants. They are standing outdoors on uneven, muddy ground du
A young girl with dark hair and a gray sweater standing on a dirt hillside near a small fire burning a pile of trash, with backpacks and rocks nearby.
Group of six people, including children, walking on a dirt path in a desolate area with mountains in the background, wearing jackets and carrying bags.
Group of migrants crossing a flooded area, with a young girl playing on a man's back, amid tall grass and trash, overcast sky, industrial background.
A group of people gathered around a small fire on a dirt road with a highway overpass in the background on a cloudy, possibly rainy day.
Two individuals crossing a shallow river under an overpass, one carrying a bag and the other holding a child wrapped in a blanket, during cloudy weather. Migrants, Juarez Mexico
A group of people standing on a dirt hill with a large cloud of smoke and a small fire in the background on a cloudy day.
Two people crossing a shallow stream, one helping the other, both in camouflage jackets and rolled-up jeans, with backpacks, on a cloudy day in a natural outdoor setting.
A man holding a baby wrapped in a blanket and wearing a blue hat with a face design, outdoors in a crowded area with other people around.
A group of law enforcement officers and children by a body of water, with some officers in uniforms labeled 'SSPE' and 'Policía del Estado K9'.
Group of people crossing a shallow river by stepping on rocks, helping each other.
A young boy with messy hair and glasses, wearing a black hoodie with yellow and white text, is outdoors. A person in a black jacket is blurred in the background.
Nighttime scene of a large group of people gathered by a river underneath a bridge with barbed wire, illuminated by streetlights and fires, with steam or smoke rising up.
A group of four people, including two children, sitting outdoors on rocks amidst dirt and trash, engaging with their phones. One young woman holds a baby, while another young woman is seated on a rock wearing patterned pants, also using her phone. Th
Group of people sitting and standing on a dirt area next to a concrete barrier, some with backpacks, in an urban environment with power lines and buildings in the background.
Group of people gathered around a campfire at night, some in hooded jackets, engaging in conversation.
Four young girls on a concrete road, with three sitting near a wall and one standing, with a fence and dried grass behind them.
People gathered around a small fire on the ground at night, some using their phones, with a plain background. Migrants, Juarez Mexico
A group of people walking along a riverbank or promenade during dusk, some carrying backpacks or luggage, with an overpass or bridge in the background.
A group of people gathered on a riverbank at night, with some sitting and some standing, with smoke or steam rising in the air, under streetlights, near a large bridge or overpass.
A group of soldiers in camouflage uniforms and helmets standing behind a barbed wire fence in a desert environment, with a military vehicle and more soldiers in the background.
A woman with light brown hair and a young boy with dark hair sitting together outdoors on a dirt surface, with the girl looking upward and the boy sucking his thumb.
A person wades in water near a group of people sitting on the sidewalk beside a graffiti-covered bridge pillar, with a dog among them and a person standing nearby.
Four children, dressed in casual clothes, stand outside on a dirt lot during sunset, with one girl eating and three others talking.
Group of people, including children, helping each other onto the riverbank at night, with a city bridge and people in the background.
Group of people with blankets and backpacks sitting around a small fire on a gravel surface, talking and warming themselves.
Military vehicles and soldiers patrolling along a border fence topped with barbed wire near a river, with mountains and a small town in the background.