Climbers (part three): The wall

Jacumba Hot Springs is a speck on the map of southern California. Cacti and desert sage bake beneath the sun and the border wall looms on the horizon. Migrants trying to enter America scramble over or under it. But close to Jacumba, there’s a tiny spot where the wall peters out. People simply walk around it. Any relief at having crossed the border is short-lived. Chinese migrants on their zouxian journey need to turn themselves into the US Border Patrol, and fast. If they don’t, they will be denied the right to seek asylum. Still, those who do seek asylum may spend the first few months of their American dream in detention. In the third episode of a four-part series, Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, heads to Jacumba and meets Chinese migrants who’ve just found their way around the wall, and arrived in America. Are they really drawn to the country’s ideals of freedom and democracy? Or are the migrants exploiting a broken border and asylum system? And do the Chinese migrants we’ve been following, who’ve made it this far, turn themselves in? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.