Scott Detrow

I did this when I was a kid.

I did this when I was a kid.

This was a moment of downtime between many periods of acute motion. Hundreds of migrants were waiting for freight trains, hoping to jump aboard and ride north toward the U.S. border.

This was a moment of downtime between many periods of acute motion. Hundreds of migrants were waiting for freight trains, hoping to jump aboard and ride north toward the U.S. border.

This was a moment of downtime between many periods of acute motion. Hundreds of migrants were waiting for freight trains, hoping to jump aboard and ride north toward the U.S. border.

The trains moved so fast that jumping on directly would be impossible for most of the migrants.

The trains moved so fast that jumping on directly would be impossible for most of the migrants.

The trains moved so fast that jumping on directly would be impossible for most of the migrants.

The migrants Eder and his photographer were following finally found the train they wanted, and they got it to stop. They climbed up to the top of the train, and Eder and his colleague joined them. They all spent a frigid night riding north at 50 miles an hour. In Mexico, this train is called the Bestia, the Beast. It's a treacherous and often deadly leg of the journey to the U.S. border.

The migrants Eder and his photographer were following finally found the train they wanted, and they got it to stop. They climbed up to the top of the train, and Eder and his colleague joined them. They all spent a frigid night riding north at 50 miles an hour. In Mexico, this train is called the Bestia, the Beast. It's a treacherous and often deadly leg of the journey to the U.S. border.

The migrants Eder and his photographer were following finally found the train they wanted, and they got it to stop. They climbed up to the top of the train, and Eder and his colleague joined them. They all spent a frigid night riding north at 50 miles an hour. In Mexico, this train is called the Bestia, the Beast. It's a treacherous and often deadly leg of the journey to the U.S. border.

Consider this. Despite the Trump administration's hard line on immigration, many migrants are still traveling north to the border. Today, we bring you a reporter's notebook riding along with Ader on La Bestia to understand why migrants still take this risk. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow. It's Consider This from NPR. Migrants have been riding La Bestia for decades.

Consider this. Despite the Trump administration's hard line on immigration, many migrants are still traveling north to the border. Today, we bring you a reporter's notebook riding along with Ader on La Bestia to understand why migrants still take this risk. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow. It's Consider This from NPR. Migrants have been riding La Bestia for decades.

Consider this. Despite the Trump administration's hard line on immigration, many migrants are still traveling north to the border. Today, we bring you a reporter's notebook riding along with Ader on La Bestia to understand why migrants still take this risk. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow. It's Consider This from NPR. Migrants have been riding La Bestia for decades.

The train can offer a way to travel north without paying smugglers. But the risks are great. Migrants have been kidnapped, assaulted and extorted by cartels. Accidents are common. Migrants have been killed in Maine by falling from the tops of the freight cars.

The train can offer a way to travel north without paying smugglers. But the risks are great. Migrants have been kidnapped, assaulted and extorted by cartels. Accidents are common. Migrants have been killed in Maine by falling from the tops of the freight cars.

The train can offer a way to travel north without paying smugglers. But the risks are great. Migrants have been kidnapped, assaulted and extorted by cartels. Accidents are common. Migrants have been killed in Maine by falling from the tops of the freight cars.

And now, with the Trump administration suspending asylum claims at the southern border, there are fewer avenues to entering the United States than there were even a few months ago. So the question Ada Peralta had when he set out to join migrants on La Bestia was simple. Why take the risk?

And now, with the Trump administration suspending asylum claims at the southern border, there are fewer avenues to entering the United States than there were even a few months ago. So the question Ada Peralta had when he set out to join migrants on La Bestia was simple. Why take the risk?

And now, with the Trump administration suspending asylum claims at the southern border, there are fewer avenues to entering the United States than there were even a few months ago. So the question Ada Peralta had when he set out to join migrants on La Bestia was simple. Why take the risk?