Ties along the arterial border in Mexico Groups, institutions, and information

Undocumented migrants crossing Mexico face government policies aimed at deterring migration, along with pervasive threats of criminal violence and the physical and emotional toll of a long, hot, dusty road. To overcome these obstacles, migrants need updated and varied information about an ever-changing migratory path. Based on multi-situated ethnography on the southern and northern borders of Mexico, we suggest that there are three main ways for migrants to find this valuable, updated information: (1) from family and friends back home or in the US, (2) from humanitarian institutions, and (3) from social ties they form on the road. We argue that information from institutions and new social ties is essential for updating plans while migrating. However, as phones have become widely used among the migrant population, the importance of families as aides during the journey becomes more significant.