A White House staff member watches President Donald Trump's motorcade arrive as U.S. Secret Service counter assault team (CAT) snipers stand watch atop a U.S. border patrol armored tactical vehicle behind her, as the president arrives to tour a recently constructed section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. Secret Service counter assault team (CAT) snipers stand atop a U.S. border patrol armored tactical vehicle as President Donald Trump tours a recently constructed section of U.S.-Mexico border wall on the border in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump points at the wall as he talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott while touring a section of recently constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott while touring a section of recently constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures towards the wall as he talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott while touring a section of recently constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as he tours a section of freshly built U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump is applauded by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ), U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott and others after autographing a plaque on the U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump poses for a picture for a White House official photographer and videographer as senior advisor Stephen Miller (R) turns away smiling during a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border wall with Republican members of the Arizona U.S. Congressional delegation, U.S. Border Patrol officials and others in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump tours a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall with Republican members of the Arizona U.S. Congressional delegation, U.S. Border Patrol officials and others as a line of Border Patrol vehicles on the other side of the fence block the view from the Mexican side of the border in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump points at the wall as he talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott while touring a section of recently constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as he tours a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall while U.S. Border Patrol vehicles on the other side of the fence block the view from the Mexican side of the border in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as he tours a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as he tours a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a picture of border wall being installed along the U.S.-Mexico border as he participates in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a picture of border wall being installed along the U.S.-Mexico border as he participates in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while participating in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while participating in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while participating in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump stands up to leave and visit the U.S.-Mexico border wall after participating in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a picture of border wall being installed along the U.S.-Mexico border as he participates in a roundtable briefing on border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Station in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. Secret Service agents stand guard as President Donald Trump walks down the steps of Air Force One with U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) and U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) as he arrives to visit a nearby U.S. Border Patrol station and a U.S.-Mexico border wall site after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump walks down the steps of Air Force One with U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) and U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) as he arrives to visit a nearby U.S. Border Patrol station and a U.S.-Mexico border wall site after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump gets into his armored U.S. Secret Service sports utility vehicle as he arrives to visit a nearby U.S. Border Patrol station and a U.S.-Mexico border wall site after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump walks down the steps of Air Force One with U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) as he arrives to visit a nearby U.S. Border Patrol station and a U.S.-Mexico border wall site after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives aboard Air Force One to visit a nearby U.S. Border Patrol station and a U.S.-Mexico border wall site after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

A U.S. border patrol agent takes a photograph of the Lopez Borja family of Maple Ridge and Everett, Washington, along the Canada-U.S. border, closed to non-essential travel due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions as the family gathered for Mother's Day in Langley, British Columbia, Canada May 10, 2020. REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier

Ashley Van Dorp of Abbotsford spreads her arms to embrace her mother, Susan Halewood of Blaine, Washington after they were told by a neighbouring group passed that border patrol officers would allow hugs for Mother's Day across the Canada-U.S. border, closed to non-essential travel due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Langley, British Columbia, Canada May 10, 2020. REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier

The U.S. Border Patrol watch the waters of a closed Cardiff State Beach during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Encinitas, California, U.S., April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake

The U.S. Border Patrol watch the waters of a closed Cardiff State Beach during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Encinitas, California, U.S., April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake

A combination photo shows cars queueing up in multiple lines as they wait to be inspected by U.S. border patrol officers to enter from Mexico into the U.S. at the San Ysidro point of entry on April 1, 2019. (top) and a general view of an almost empty Mexico-U.S. San Ysidro border crossing after the U.S. and Mexico have agreed to restrict non-essential travel over their shared border to limit the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), March 21, 2020 (bottom) in Tijuana, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Duenes

U.S. Border Patrol agents listen to Washington Governor Jay Inslee's address on their car radio as he issues a "stay home, stay healthy" order at Peace Arch Historical State Park as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Blaine, Washington, U.S. March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

U.S. Border Patrol agents listen to Washington Governor Jay Inslee's address on their car radio as he issues a "stay home, stay healthy" order at Peace Arch Historical State Park as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Blaine, Washington, U.S. March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

U.S. Border Patrol agents are pictured at Peace Arch Historical State Park as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Blaine, Washington, U.S. March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

U.S. Border Patrol agents give directions to a visitor at Peace Arch Historical State Park as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Blaine, Washington, U.S. March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

A U.S. Border Patrol agent is pictured at the Paso del Norte International Border bridge after the United States and Mexico have agreed to restrict non-essential travel over their shared border in an effort to limit the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

Serbian army soldiers patrol at the Serbia's Batrovci border crossing with Croatia's Bajakovo, as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world near Batrovci, Serbia, March 18, 2020. Under the new set of restrictions, the Serbian military will take over all border crossings and maintain guard at over a dozen state-operated camps for illegal migrants from Asia and the Middle East. REUTERS/Goran Sivacki

Serbian army soldiers patrol at the Serbia's Batrovci border crossing with Croatia's Bajakovo, as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world near Batrovci, Serbia, March 18, 2020. Under the new set of restrictions, the Serbian military will take over all border crossings and maintain guard at over a dozen state-operated camps for illegal migrants from Asia and the Middle East. REUTERS/Goran Sivacki

Serbian army soldiers patrol at the Serbia's Batrovci border crossing with Croatia's Bajakovo, as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world near Batrovci, Serbia, March 18, 2020. Under the new set of restrictions, the Serbian military will take over all border crossings and maintain guard at over a dozen state-operated camps for illegal migrants from Asia and the Middle East. REUTERS/Goran Sivacki

A Serbian army soldier patrols at the Serbia's Batrovci border crossing with Croatia's Bajakovo, as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world near Batrovci, Serbia, March 18, 2020. Under the new set of restrictions, the Serbian military will take over all border crossings and maintain guard at over a dozen state-operated camps for illegal migrants from Asia and the Middle East. REUTERS/Goran Sivacki

Border patrol agents apprehend migrants from Central America who were hiding in thick bush after they crossed into the United States from Mexico, in Mission, Texas, U.S., September 24, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Goldie, a patrol dog that belonged to the U.S. border patrol agent Javier Vega Jr, watches from the sidelines as the Sarita checkpoint is renamed "The Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint" during a ceremony to honour Vega in Sarita, Texas, U.S., on March 20, 2019. Agents on the scene said that Vega, a father of three, was killed in Raymondville, Texas in August 2014, by two armed and undocumented immigrants during a robbery while he was on a family fishing trip . REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A border patrol agent stands in front of two men from El Salvador who were apprehended after crossing into the United States from Mexico, in Mission, Texas, U.S., May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A U.S. border patrol agent approaches asylum seeking migrants as they walk along a trail, after travelling across the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in this aerial photograph taken with a drone near Penitas, Texas, U.S., March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A migrant from Central America, hides in a thick bush before being apprehended by border patrol agents after he crossed into the United States from Mexico with a group of men in La Joya, Texas, U.S., May 8, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Air and Marine Operations (AMO) patrol the Rio Grande river near Penitas, Texas, U.S., April 9, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A man directs his mobile phone towards a U.S. border patrol agent after traveling with a group of migrants across the Rio Grande river from Mexico into the United States, in Roma, Texas, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Asylum seeking migrants from Central America walk northbound towards the border wall after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in this aerial photograph taken with a drone near Penitas, Texas, U.S., March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Asylum seeking migrants from Central America line-up along the border wall as they wait to surrender to the U.S. border patrol, after they crossed the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in Penitas, Texas, U.S., April 2, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A short stretch of the meandering Rio Grande - the river that marks the border between the United States and Mexico - has been for a long time a focal point for migrants looking to head north, seeking a better life. In the first half of 2019, it became a scene of chaos and misery as unprecedented numbers of asylum seekers arrived, mostly Central Americans. Families fleeing poverty and gang violence sought to cross at a record rate, overwhelming the border patrol agents on the U.S. side. As summer gave way to autumn, the numbers declined dramatically. U.S. President Donald Trump, who had campaigned on an anti-immigration platform, passed a series of measures to curb entry and pressured Mexico to make its own border more secure. As a result of the new policies, tens of thousands of migrants have been turned back across the border to wait in Mexico for the resolution of their immigration cases and the U.S. government has more tools to deny asylum seekers outright. The U.S. border patrol said total apprehensions at the southwest border hit a high of nearly 133,000 in May 2019. By November that decreased to some 34,000. Reuters photographer Adrees Latif has spent much of the last year in the Rio Grande Valley, documenting the extraordinary scenes. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. Matching Text: USA-IMMIGRATION/ASYLUM SEEKERS. TEMPLATE OUT

A U.S. border patrol agent looks at cactus spines splintered into a man who was detained alongside a group of others who were suspected of smuggling marijuana into the United States from Mexico in Rio Grande City, Texas, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Juan, an 8-year-old unaccompanied minor from Guatemala who was travelling without any guardians, is registered by a border patrol agent in a field, after surrendering to border patrol with a group of other asylum seeking migrants who crossed into the United States from Mexico, in Los Ebanos, Texas, U.S., May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A man who was apprehended alongside a group of others who were suspected of smuggling marijuana from Mexico into the United States, has flashlights pointed towards him by border patrol agents, as he climbs out of a tree surrounded by cacti in Rio Grande City, Texas, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A group of migrants walk past plowed farmland after crossing into the United States from Mexico, as they make their way towards a gap in the border wall to surrender to US border patrol, near Penitas, Texas, U.S., January 10, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Border patrol agent Reyes and canine Boris search for narcotics inside a vehicle, in Rio Grande City, Texas, U.S., February 10, 2020. No narcotics were found and the driver was free to go. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Asylum seeking migrants from Central America line up along the border wall, while they wait to be transported to a nearby holding facility for migrants, where they can then make an application to claim asylum, after they crossed through the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico on a raft, in Penitas, Texas, U.S., March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Air and Marine Operations (AMO) patrol the Rio Grande river as employees of Fisher Sand & Gravel Company build a road next to a three-mile private border wall in Mission, Texas, U.S., February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Border patrol agents surround what they said was about 140 pounds of marijuana which was abandoned by smugglers in La Joya, Texas, U.S., November 7, 2019. The bundles of marijuana were estimated to be valued at $112,000. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Turi Paz who is from Honduras, warms herself up with a thermal blanket as she waits with other asylum seekers to be transported to a holding facility for migrants, where they can then make an application to claim asylum, after they crossed the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in Penitas, Texas, U.S., April 1, 2019. Border patrol agents on the scene distributed the blankets as the weather became cold. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Amy, 2, a migrant from Honduras seeking asylum, crawls on a muddy dirt road south of the border wall after she and a group of other migrants crossed the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in Penitas, Texas, U.S., April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Anna, 5, who is from Honduras, sits in the back of a border patrol vehicle after being apprehended along with a group of other migrants from Central America who were hiding in thick bush after they crossed into the United States from Mexico, in Mission, Texas, U.S., September 27, 2019. REUTERS/Adrees Latif SEARCH "RIO GRANDE PATROL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.