PHOTOS: What It's Like On Both Sides Of The U.S.-Mexico Border's Busiest Crossing
The busiest section of the U.S.-Mexico border is the Rio Grande Valley. It's not unusual for Border Patrol agents to catch more than 500 immigrants a day trying to cross into the U.S. along this 55-mile stretch. In spite of increased border security and rising costs to cross, migrants are still determined to make the journey.
NPR recently spent time on both sides of the border, where immigration is part of everyday life.
Border Patrol Agent Robert Rodriguez has been patrolling this section of border near McAllen, Texas, for about 10 years. He says this stretch of the border wall used to be much busier a decade ago.
"It was very common to see a group of 40, 50 coming across in this area," Rodriguez says. "This has gone down to about half, even less."
The Rio Grande is the border line. Rodriguez says almost nobody tries to cross here without the help of cartels — who have spent years learning how best to evade the authorities.
