MCALLEN, Texas – Less than one mile from the Hidalgo Port of Entry, dozens of immigrants at Mexican shelters are stuck in limbo. Many of them said they tried to turn themselves in and ask for asylum, but were sent away by American immigration officials.
“I tried twice to go to the bridge,” Patricia Flores said in Spanish. “Both times I was told to go away.”
PHOTOS: Inside the border crisis over family separations
"It took Patricia and Joan three months to get to the U.S.-Mexico border from El Salvador. They left after Joan witnessed a murder. 'He is my everything,' Patricia said. 'I would die without him.' They asked for asylum at a port of entry and say they were turned away," KPRC 2's Jacob Rascon reported.
It took Flores and her 7-year-old son, Joan, three months to travel to the United States from El Salvador. They left after Joan witnessed a gang-related murder, Flores said.
Separation is not an option, she added. The Trump administration's zero tolerance policy terrified the mother and son.
“I would die without him. He is my life,” Flores said in Spanish. “I don’t want them to take me away,” Joan added.
VIDEO: Families wonder what's next regarding immigration policy
While we were interviewing the Flores family and others at Senda De Vida shelter, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would end family separation. The Flores family nearly wept.
Dolores and Antonio Alarcon said they were separated at the McAllen processing center after crossing the border illegally. They were eventually deported, but without Antonio Alarcon, who they said they haven’t seen in two weeks.
“We can stay together?” Dolores Alarcon asked in Spanish. “Can we go right now?!”
For the Alarcons and most families we talked to on the Mexican side of the border, the Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy was a deterrent. Separation was not worth it.
The end of unconditional separation at the border means the Alarcons and Flores family may risk crossing illegally.
Both families, and others, told KPRC they would never return to El Salvador, Veracruz or other places they left. The risk of being murdered, extorted, losing their kids to gangs or starving in their home cities or countries is greater, they said, than the risks associated with crossing illegally into the United States.
Several families told KPRC they attempted to turn themselves in at ports of entry, but were told to turn around. Others told NBC News they were told to wait in Mexico, but waited for several days, sleeping on the ground, without a response.
The Department of Homeland Security has not explained why Customs and Border Agents have been blocking families from turning themselves in recent days. Regular border crossers told KPRC they have never seen that happen.