High Country News

Hidden in plain sight: A review of The American Wall

In the two massive volumes of The American Wall, French photographer Maurice Sherif works with anthropologists, activists and writers to explore the border fence that separates the U.S. from Mexico.

by Terray Sylvester, Jun 19, 2012
Shadow Wolves track down smugglers on the Arizona-Mexico border

An elite team of Native American customs agents, the Shadow Wolves use their tracking skills to find drug smugglers on the U.S.-Mexico border.

by Stephanie Paige Ogburn, Jan 22, 2012
A frantic lion meets the border wall

The U.S.-Mexico border wall does nothing to stop either drugs or illegal immigrants, but it sure can frustrate roaming wildlife, including mountain lions.

by Janay Brun, Nov 28, 2011
Apprehension

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Officer John Schaefer is one of only two officers patrolling the 860,000 acres of Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, a thoroughfare for illegal immigrants and armed drug smugglers

by Michael Marizco, May 15, 2006
Perseverance

Illegal border crossers face a dangerous journey filled with heat, dust, flies and thirst, and always the danger of capture and deportation

by Michael Marizco, May 15, 2006
The Immigrant's Trail

This special issue of High Country News takes an on-the-ground look at the human landscape of illegal immigration in the West

by Jonathan Thompson, May 15, 2006
The wall along our southern border is a joke

Not only is the border fence a failure at its job; it’s also proving an environmental disaster.

by Scott Nicol, Apr 19, 2011
A pilgrim with a battered Nikon

Albuquerque photojournalist Jaelyn deMaria has devoted the last few years to documenting the pilgrims who come to the shrine of Monte Cristo Rey on the United States-Mexico border near El Paso.

by Lee Ross, Sep 18, 2006
Deadly crossing

July 2010 was the second-deadliest month ever for border-crossers in southern Arizona.

by Denver Nicks, Oct 10, 2010
Two weeks in the West

Health insurance – and the lack of it – in the West; Larry Craig, Burning Man, and parts of Montana go up in flames; Wyoming booms and house prices are up, but the kids are still leaving in droves; new Border Patrol duds debut.

by Jonathan Thompson, Sep 17, 2007