Ciudad Juarez, Mexico/El Paso, Texas, USA - Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of port of entry on U.S.-Mexico border, national flags
2. Various of buildings, mountains
3. Mexican student Gerardo Saenz entering car
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerardo Saenz, Mexican student (starting with shot 3, partially overlaid with shot 5):
"It's kind of hard being in these two places at the same time. But I have my family in Juarez, and I study in El Paso. It's like having two lives at the same time, you know."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
5. Various of buildings, mountains
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
6. Lines of vehicles under bridge
7. Various of family playing music at roadside to raise money for kid's education
8. Various of fence on U.S.-Mexico border with painting criticizing plan to build border wall
9. Freddy, who helps illegal immigrants get over border fence, checking border patrol situation
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Freddy, person helping illegal immigrants cross U.S.-Mexico border fence (full name not given):
"It's like walking in to someone else's house, someone else's garden. You have to ask permission. But these are families trying to reunite."
11. Various of migrant shelter "House of Migrants", facilities, people
12. Mexican migrant Albiera crying, speaking
13. Albiera with daughter
14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Albiera, Mexican migrant seeking asylum (full name not given):
"It makes me sad to see my compatriots thrown out of the country like they were terrorists, killers. We're fleeing not because we're killers, we're fleeing because we've been threatened with death."
15. Various of barbed wires
16. Road traffic, houses
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerardo Saenz, Mexican student (starting with shots 15-16):
"The United States should be involved more in the politics of these countries to stop violence, to stop the drug cartels. And it's something that is not happening right now, it should."
18. Saenz driving away
19. Traffic amid sunset

The U.S. government's tightening security measures at the border is posing more inconvenience for people living in Ciudad Juarez of Mexico, where many are traveling across the border regularly.

For generations, people have drifted back and forth across the border that divides and unites Mexico's Ciudad Juarez and El Paso of the U.S. state of Texas.

Like many, Mexican student Gerardo Saenz's life is split by the border.

"It's kind of hard being in these two places at the same time. But I have my family in Juarez, and I study in El Paso. It's like having two lives at the same time, you know," said Saenz.

Some families living in the city played music at the roadside to raise money for the kids' education as billions of dollars of commerce flowed through the border.

It's a place you'll find little support for U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a wall.

Freddy is a "pollero," someone who helps illegal immigrants get over the fence. He checks to see if the Border Patrol is close. With ladders and pipes, he helps Mexican and Central American immigrants over to the other side. It's a crime what he does, so he didn't want his face shown. He charges 20 dollars a head.

Freddy understands why some Americans might want to build a wall, but believes most immigrants should be able to come.

"It's like walking in to someone else's house, someone else's garden. You have to ask permission. But these are families trying to reunite," said Freddy.

The 'House of Migrants' is a temporary refuge for those who want to head north. It's boring here, nothing to do except shoot hoops and chat. But most migrants are grateful for it and wish their stays could last longer -- they're only allowed to stay for three days.

Mexican migrant Albiera wants to enter the U.S. legally, requesting asylum.

She and her 10-year old daughter have fled a region in Mexico drowning in cartel violence. She blames the White House for demonizing immigrants.

"It makes me sad to see my compatriots thrown out of the country like they were terrorists, killers. We're fleeing not because we're killers, we're fleeing because we've been threatened with death," Said Albiera.

Saenz has been watching immigration -- legal and illegal -- all his life. If the U.S. wants to see lower immigration, he said it should do more to help these countries solve their problems of poverty, corruption and drugs. The U.S. has spent about 3 billion dollars over 10 years helping Mexico combat organized crime. But Gerardo said he doesn't see it.

"The United States should be involved more in the politics of these countries to stop violence, to stop the drug cartels. And it's something that is not happening right now, it should," Saenz said.