They are everywhere. Mexican immigrants work in our yards, in our houses, in our restaurants. They are the fabric of American society, and they are as part of American society as Americans are. Millions of Mexicans cross the border every year – but why? Some say to steal our jobs; others say it is sheer survival because life-sustaining work opportunities in Mexico are non-existent. As options run out, and as more walls are built to “keep out” our cheap, illegal workforce, desperate living situations result in desperate measures and force immigrants to even cross through deserts – where the border is created not by fence but by distance and time under the sun. This photojournalism essay examines border immigration issues between the U.S. and Mexico while emphasizing the humanity we all intrinsically share. The “American Dream”, an all too familiar notion at the foundation of American society, encapsulates the quest of Mexican immigrants who risk their lives crossing the border for the mere hope of a better life.

Documentary Photographs by Isabelle Carbonell