Separated families embrace in Rio Grande between El Paso, Mexico for Hugs Not Walls

Families embraced in the middle of the Rio Grande along the U.S.-Mexico border during the 8th annual "Hugs Not Walls."

The event, which drew thousands, allows Mexican immigrants with irregular status and unable to return to Mexico an opportunity to meet for a few minutes on the international border.

"Hugs Not Walls" is hosted by the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) and Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA).

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According to a release, the event will also commemorate Juneteenth, the national holiday marking the anniversary of the full emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S., and feature the participation of prominent Black and Brown leaders from the border region.

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"At its core, Hugs Not Walls is an act of protest against inhumane policies and practices that deny families and individuals the dignity, respect, and safety they deserve. Those precious minutes of families reuniting offers a glimpse into an alternative framework of welcoming for our border, the New Ellis Island, and for our nation as a whole that is rooted in compassion, accountability, transparency, and solidarity to build more just institutions, policies, and communities,” said Fernando García, executive director of BNHR