Migrants who once hoped to seek protection in the United States have found themselves chasing the elusive goal of asylum in a hardening climate against them. Some have been detained for years; others are just starting on their journey in unexpected countries. Still others are too young to understand what lies ahead of them. The KJZZ Fronteras Desk series Chasing Asylum follows some of these people on their journey.
Part 1: Nov. 5, 2025
Alisa Reznick/KJZZ
Federal court data shows more than 2.3 million asylum applications are pending in the U.S. this year. But for Kamel Maklad, even winning protection didn't mean freedom.
Part 2: Nov. 6, 2025
Nina Kravinsky
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KJZZ
Trump administration foreign aid cuts are pinching Mexico’s already overburdened asylum process. That means long wait times for refugees who, barred from entering the United States, are turning to Mexico for safety.
Part 3: Nov. 7, 2025
Alisa Reznick
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KJZZ
The Trump administration cut most of the federal funding for a program providing free legal counsel to unaccompanied immigrant children who are seeking asylum in the U.S. The money was restored under court order, but attorneys say the lapse sent organizations into a tailspin that’s still playing out today.
Photos from the U.S.-Mexico border
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Nina Kravinsky / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Nina Kravinsky / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Nina Kravinsky / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Alisa Reznick / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Nina Kravinsky / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Alisa Reznick / KJZZ
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The U.S.-Mexico border.
Nina Kravinsky / KJZZ
More stories from the Fronteras Desk
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That includes more than 11,000 non-Mexican deportees, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. -
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Mexico has largely been able to contain the deadly parasite in the southern part of the country. -
The change applies to asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants with legal status in the US. Normally, work permits last for as long as five years. But, under the new rule, that time frame is shortened to just 18 months. -
El Capitan, a team that has made the Arizona 1A playoffs each of the last four years, had its season cut short because of a recent measles outbreak in Mohave County, one of the largest outbreaks in the country. Throughout the season, several players contracted the virus, ultimately forcing seven game cancellations, including El Capitan’s coveted matchup with their crosstown foes. -
U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva says federal agents pepper sprayed her during a Friday demonstration against an ICE raid at a popular restaurant on Tucson’s west side.
