In a US election year, when illegal immigration and the situation on the Mexican border was such a prominent topic, we set out to explain what was happening to migrants in Mexico itself.
The film explores Mexico’s role as an immigration enforcer for the United States; it examines the tactics the Mexican government has been deploying to deter migrants from reaching - and crossing - the US border; and it shows the risks that some people are willing to take in order to try to reach the US.
Start Here is a digital explainer show, hosted by Sandra Gathmann, that helps people around the world navigate the complicated world of international news and current affairs. This film was part of our “on-the-road” series where we elevate our explainer format with on the ground reporting.
We needed to explain the journey that migrants were trying to make and the obstacles they faced along the way, from navigating the bureaucratic bottleneck in US asylum applications, to the risk of extortion, kidnapping and violence from gangs – a “human jungle”, as one person described it.
So we travelled to the very south of Mexico, where people were arriving daily, having already made perilous journeys across Central America, and to the US border at the very north of the country - the destination that most migrants had in their sights.
Sandra also secured a coveted spot at the Mexican president’s daily press conference and directly questioned Claudia Sheinbaum on her government’s policy. Sheibaum confirmed that Mexico was working with the US on immigration enforcement - a comment that was picked up in the Mexican media, as the government had not explicitly confirmed this previously.
The film explores the complex intersection of migration, migration enforcement, and exploitation, through powerful personal testimonies that shed light on the motivations of many migrants and the lengths to which people will go to pursue a better life for themselves and their families.
During a period when migration across the US-Mexico has become such a political lightning rod, the film provides important context about the people trying to make this journey. The film has attracted almost 4000 comments on YouTube - demonstrating a wide range of opinions - and has garnered almost 1 million views, with 33% of viewers watching all the way to the end. It has primarily been watched in the US and Canada, and continues to clock up views and engagement, particularly as President Trump’s immigration policies keep the topic high on the political agenda.