HACHITA, NEW MEXICO: Mary and I pulled up to the small gas station and convenience store in Hachita where a handful of local residents awaited our visit. We were excited to talk about border issues and how illegal immigration impacts the small community and our contact had coordinated a group of people to meet on very short notice.

We visited with community members in Hachita at this hub for over an hour as they gave us suggestions on where we should be looking for information on illegal immigrants and horror stories of how people come across the border. Every story is personal. They will even have footprints around their homes.

A Customs & Border Patrol truck races past as we visited. Then another. This is a regular occurrence in this small village and every landowner has his or her own stories to tell.

This is just a first visit and we didn’t give enough notice in advance, but we will be back to investigate more and tour around with ranchers as we research and document what’s going on at the border.

Where is the President on these issues? We all agree something federally needs to be done to protect these families. And Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham? She denies there is any problem.

It’s sad the community is marginalized by Santa Fe. Maybe Governor Grisham will care more now that we have a video of single-stall bathrooms at the local rest area that are designated for “Men” and “Women”? Aren’t they supposed to be gender neutral? Here’s a video in case she wants to deal with the non-inclusive bathroom situation in Hachita– there must be something that will get her attention because it’s clear she doesn’t care about the residents living in a community with illegal immigrants coming through and residents who say they’re always watching their backs and rely on each other to know how to avoid trouble with the illegal immigrants coming through.