"'Never did I face a struggle like that': Haitian migrant escapes Del Rio border crisis "

STORYTELLING CATEGORY

El Paso Times/Gannett Corp
11/21/2021

The story of how Haitian migrant John Lafontant survived horrendous conditions in a Texas migrant camp trained a harsh spotlight on how the Biden administration, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, received thousands of people fleeing persecution in the summer of 2021.

Lafontant's story personified the migrant crisis in Del Rio, Texas, where the poor treatment of Black migrants generated national outrage and a conversation about racism in immigration enforcement. Although immigration policy is technically under federal purview, Abbott has made border security and immigration control a key feature of his administration and political campaign.

El Paso Times photojournalist Omar Ornelas met Lafontant as he fled the Texas migrant camp into Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. Reporter Lauren Villagran communicated with Lafontant regularly for three months, following him on his journey via WhatsApp audio messages and video calls, culminating in a series of in-person visits. The result is a highly detailed narrative that brings a human perspective to the humanitarian disaster that unfolded on the banks of the Rio Grande.

What happened in Del Rio wasn’t without warning: The El Paso Times’ reporting in early 2021 and 2020 foreshadowed the crisis. Please see supporting story submissions below, including one on how Haitian migrants encountered an open door in Del Rio when other areas of the border were closed, and another about the growing number of Haitians seeking asylum in Mexico.

LINK to main content online
'Arbitrary' and 'absurd': Uneven enforcement at Texas border prompts migrants to try, try again
'All I want is a tranquil life’: Asylum claims skyrocket in Mexico as Haitians flee to U.S. border

Submitted by Lauren Villagran.