The Mexico–United States border is one of the most frequently crossed borders in the world, with approximately 350 million documented crossings annually. Today it is guarded with national troops, walls, and watchtowers. More than 6 million undocumented Mexican nationals are also residing in the United States who crossed the border illegally. In 2016, the Trump administration announced to build a border wall to control immigration. However, the Mexican government died to pay for the wall.
These historical photos from the Library of Congress show a border that is loosely guarded and relatively free, with only small swinging gates and few border officers present. This was near the end of the Great Depression when white migrant workers living in tents were striving to provide for their families along with Mexican workers and their families in ramshackle huts.
