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The Times podcast: Losing Rosario

A framed photo of a woman sits beside a statuette, flowers and a candle
A shrine dedicated to Rosario Yanira Girón de Orellana of El Salvador at the Texas home of her sister Maria Huezo.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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The U.S. has seen a historic number of illegal border crossings this summer — a 21-year high, according to federal figures. Why is this happening? One reason: Thousands of migrants are waiting in northern Mexico — some for months — to claim asylum in the U.S. because President Biden extended a Trump-era pandemic policy that effectively bars them from entering the country.

In Mexico, the migrants — many from Central America — are at risk of being kidnapped, extorted or killed by smugglers. Yet more decide to make the dangerous journey to the border every day, seeking refuge in the U.S.

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41-year-old El Salvador native Rosario Yanira Girón de Orellana was one of them. Her body was found on a ranch in Texas in June. This is her story.

Host: L.A. Times national correspondent Molly Hennessy-Fiske

More reading:

Losing Rosario: A mother sent her daughter across the border. Before they could reunite, one died

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La muerte de Rosario: Una madre envió a su hija al otro lado de la frontera. Ella falleció antes de que pudieran reunirse

Why Border Patrol is doing more to rescue and identify missing migrants

About The Times

“The Times” is made by columnist Gustavo Arellano, senior producer Denise Guerra and producers Shannon Lin, Marina Peña and Melissa Kaplan. Our engineer is Mario Diaz. Our editors are Lauren Raab and Shani O. Hilton. Our theme song was composed by Andrew Eapen.
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