Category Archives: Community

Interaction with the community of Falfurrias

Day 4: Looking Beyond a Border

Community, Environment, General, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

Similarly to yesterday we had a later start than we did the first work day. As soon as we walked out of our hotel room this morning, we were hit with a dense fog so thick we could barely see the adjacent hotel rooms. Even the entrance of the hotel wasn’t visible as we made our way to breakfast. Where we would usually discuss what ranch we were going to go to that day and the circumstances surrounding the search, we were informed of a change in our typical day. Because of the changing ranch availability, there was an opportunity to begin our day by visiting the border and searching in the afternoon. So after breakfast, we went to pick up Reed and then we began the hour and a half drive south. 

Fog obscuring the drive to the border.
Fog obscuring the drive to the border, blocking the view of ranches that are next to the highway.

As we drove, I examined the ranches we had passed on the highway for the past three days and thought about the constant barriers that exist to individuals who are trying to traverse these massive expanses of land. Because the land is mostly flat, coyotes will lead migrant groups through easily identifiable structures such as power lines, gas lines, and wind mills. On a perfectly clear day (as our trip has been thus far) being able to locate these identifiers was still extremely difficult unless you were very close and not under the brush cover. Looking out onto the highway and the ranches, where we could only see about 50 feet in front of us because of the fog, I couldn’t help but reflect on the shifting circumstances migrants face while walking. We are lucky that we have Don and Ray who know the terrain and can guide us when we feel lost (which I do most of the time) but migrants who are left behind by their group don’t have anyone to tell them what to look for. And if they cannot return to the path their group was taking, they may wonder indefinitely. 

The fence located at the southern US-Mexico border.
The fence located at the southern US-Mexico border.

Having this on my mind when we arrived at the border provided a more introspective experience than I was expecting. Unlike last year, when we arrived there was no one at the gate. We parked and were able to walk all the way up the hill that the gate and fence sits on to look through. While we were able to see Mexico, the other side of the fence we were looking to was still US territory, with the actual border being about a mile away. As we looked, a border patrol agent started to drive towards us. We worried that we would be told to leave or questioned about why we were there, but he told us that since traffic over that area of the border had been very slow, we could walk to another gate in the distance for a chance to see the Rio Grande river. We headed to the other gate on the dirt road that runs along the fence, but we couldn’t see the river. However, we could see the incredibly tall and dense vegetation that lay on the other side of the fence.

A checkpoint at the US-Mexico border.
A checkpoint at the US-Mexico border.

This was the beginning of a migrants journey in the US, and seeing how hostile it is from the get go was hard to imagine. In our searches, where we are equipped for dealing with the vegetation, the heat, the vastness of the land, and the chance of changing weather conditions, migrants are not. We see the proof of their adaptability in the artifacts we find on the ranches and at the wall itself. This is another moment in our trip that I found myself affected by the evidence of trauma and resilience migrants face in their journey.

Thorny trees in the field.
Thorny trees in the field, almost obscuring team members from view.

While we were at the border, we had to continue the tradition of stopping at Delia’s for fresh tamales. We needed to be back at the ranch to meet the rest of the team at noon, so with our tamales, we headed back to Falfurrias. The ranch we were going to search had hunters coming in at 3:30 pm, so as soon as we got back to Don, Ray, and Melissa, we headed out. Don brought us to an area where he had searched the base of a hill, but had not been able to check the hill itself. There had been previous recoveries to the south and to the east, so it was important to clear this middle section of land.

A thicket leading to a sandy hill.
A thicket leading to a sandy hill.

The terrain was immensely different from what we have covered thus far, with the landscape being hilly while still being covered in sand. The brush was dense and thorny and any flat land that we encountered was covered in dense high grass. We conducted an unsystematic search of the hill, as the vegetation was too thick to effectively get through in a line search. So today it was crucial to keep an eye on at least one member of the team while thoroughly searching. We were able to systemically line search the open areas to assess the presence of artifacts. There were a few items found along our search, proving that this had been an active pathway. We reached the time we were allotted to search this ranch, and returned to the ranch Don, Ray, Reed, and Melissa were staying on to divvy out our tamale haul and replenish our energy.

An older can found in the field.
An older aluminum can found in the field.

We finished searching earlier in the day, which gave us time to visit the cemetery that started it all. Sacred Heart Burial Park was the very first place UIndy was able to work at in Falfurrias. Dr. Latham showed us each place where UIndy had excavated and took the time to explain the circumstances surrounding each excavation. We started by visiting the grave of Wilmer, a migrant who was potentially identified. We put flowers on his grave and gave a moment of silence and remembrance to the individuals found in the earlier excavations. Each grave is decorated with things that that person enjoyed in life, bright and beautiful flowers, and a multitude of arches and decorations to show how loved each individual is. Even though I had visited the cemetery before, it was still an experience that elicited strong emotions in me. Knowing that UIndy was brought here because people cared so much about the migrants who died here and seeing this community that cares so much for their loved ones is beautiful and puts our shared and differing experiences into perspective. 

Sacred Heart Burial Park
Sacred Heart Burial Park

After the visit to the cemetery, we returned to the hotel to clean up from the hot day and get ready for our evening plans. Tonight, we were able to take out Don’s drone. He taught us how to fly it and how to spot different animals in the brush using infrared vision. Bonding with the whole team, where we could share stories and discuss our lives in an informal setting was memorable and was a great bonding experience. 

Beyond Borders 2026 team at the end of day 4.
Beyond Borders 2026 team at the end of day 4. From left to right, Amanda, Peytin, Makenna, Lilly, Amandine, Krista, and Reed.

Today was an unexpectedly busy day. Not only were we able to search, we also went to places where we were able to reflect more on the work that we traveled here to assist with and the individuals that we are doing it for. All of our experiences from this trip and the people I have met have made this field season incredibly unique and this has been a great group of people to work with. Our experiences have been incredibly memorable so far, and I have learned a lot from them. I will carry these reflections with me as we continue into our last day and beyond as we return to Indy.

–Lilly

The Work That Stays With You

Community, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

As I prepare to return to Falfurrias, TX for a second year, I am eager to once again be part of the Beyond Borders project. Experiential learning is a central component of the Human Biology Master’s Program at the University of Indianapolis (UIndy), and Beyond Borders exemplifies what it means to learn through meaningful and real-world engagement.

While the project’s primary goal is to assist in the search for and identification of undocumented migrants who have gone missing while attempting to cross into the United States, it also offers profound opportunities for personal growth among everyone involved. Working alongside students and colleagues in this setting reinforces the importance of teamwork, trust, and shared responsibility. It is remarkable how much learning (both personal and professional) can occur in just a few days.

I am humbled by the dedication that Dr. Krista Latham has poured into this humanitarian effort since its inception. Over the past 14 years, she has thoughtfully shaped an experience that encourages self-reflection, collaboration, and empathy. One of the most meaningful parts of each day is the evening debrief, when the team comes together to reflect on what we have learned, what we have done well, and where we can improve. These conversations deepen our understanding of the work and of one another, fostering the sense of community that is so essential to Beyond Borders.

One moment from the field that has stayed with me is the realization of just how physically and emotionally demanding this work is. Last year, I wrongly assumed I would have “spare time” to edit upcoming course syllabi, which was quickly proven wrong. In such a short amount of time, it can feel as though we make only a small dent. Yet Beyond Borders is not defined solely by what can be accomplished in the field. As an educator at the University of Indianapolis, I see this project as an extension of the classroom, which challenges students to confront firsthand the realities of forensic anthropology, ethical responsibility, and humanitarian work. These experiences impact how this generation of students think, learn, and approach their future careers in ways that traditional coursework cannot do alone.

As I return for a second year, I look forward to continuing assisting, strengthening relationships with students and colleagues, and carrying the lessons learned in Texas back into the classroom and beyond. Returning brings a different perspective which is shaped by experience, humility, and a deeper understanding of the emotional and logistical realities of this work.

–AE

Approaching the Texas Borderlands with Intentionality

Community, General, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

“But progress isn’t just about stopping bad things from happening. It’s about creating the conditions for new things to happen—things that otherwise wouldn’t have happened, would never even have been imagined.” — Paul Murray, The Bee Sting

As I am preparing to leave for Texas, surrounded by family and friends for the holidays, I have been thinking a lot about the individuals and communities we will encounter in Falfurrias. With the goal of our mission being to provide humanitarian forensic aid, I have thought extensively about those who have died while en route to the United States and what they may have experienced while traversing remote ranchlands and grueling terrain. However, more recently, I have found myself thinking about the other moments of these individuals’ lives; the moments before they were lost to this humanitarian crisis.

When encountering unidentified migrant remains in the Texas Borderlands, we are only encountering one juncture of the individual’s life—their death. Although we can hypothesize about a person’s life from their remains, there is a lot about an individual’s story that is lost when they die clandestinely, especially if they remain unidentified. Thus, we may never fully understand the circumstances that drove an individual to migrate, the loved ones they had to leave behind, or the fear they may have felt when making the perilous journey across the US-Mexico border. How can we prevent these individuals from going unidentified and their stories forgotten? These are just two of the questions I hope to investigate firsthand through our work in Texas.

Although my previous research has provided me with significant insight into the sociopolitical variables that have shaped this humanitarian crisis across the southern US border, my research took a more analytical approach, investigating the forensic response to this crisis. While I engaged with content that explored the migrant experience, it was often limited to individuals’ journeys crossing the border and came exclusively from secondary sources. Thus, while the primary objective of our trip is to assist in the search and recovery of unidentified and missing migrants, I have also set a personal goal of gathering as much information as possible about the experiences of both local community members and missing migrants, in life and in death.

I have chosen this goal because, recently, it feels as if the humanitarian crisis occurring at our southern border is becoming an increasingly normalized and more peripheral topic. With location and socially constructed barriers distancing many of us from the deaths occurring along the US-Mexico border, it can be difficult to recognize the efforts made to dehumanize migrants, especially when they have existed for our entire lives. However, I believe that when reminded of the similarities between us and those we distance ourselves from through language and politics, we realize that, despite these barriers existing in real ways, they are not inherent and can be challenged.

I hope our work can help remind people that those who are lost while traversing the Texas Borderlands are people with lives, families, and dreams—not just statistics. While our forensic efforts can help achieve this objective by assisting in the identification of migrant remains, I hope to personally contribute to this goal by preserving the memories of those we encounter—both living and deceased—and taking their stories/lessons with me. I feel that, equipped with these stories, I will be able to confront dehumanizing and criminalizing rhetoric I encounter post-Texas and realistically challenge the sociocultural barriers that seek to separate ‘us’ from ‘them’ and thus the unnecessary deaths occurring at the southern US border. As Paul Murray suggested in The Bee Sting, perhaps sharing these individuals’ stories and our own personal experiences in this liminal space will create the “conditions for new things to happen—things that otherwise wouldn’t have happened, would never even have been imagined.” It is when we begin having these conversations and becoming more comfortable discussing the harsh realities of this humanitarian crisis that progress can occur.

Peytin