Thread by @mollyhf

3:30 a.m four asylum seekers came to the Laredo bridge for the first full day of "tent court." This Honduran single mom brought all her belongings, assuming she wouldn't return. She has $5; no phone.

She also has no lawyer, said she knew nothing about the immigration court system and had been staying in Monterrey with no way to return.

By 4 a.m., 15 more asylum seekers had arrived from Cuba, El Salvador and Venezuela. Only two I spoke to had lawyers.

A Mexican immigration official dropped them off and a U.S. Customs official checked their names on a list. The Salvadoran mother at right was trying to join her husband in Los Angeles.

Now it's 5 a.m. and I've been turned away from the public immigration court entrance. A @CBP officer told me he checked with supervisors who said I can't enter because "This is a secure area."

@CBP officer said I can observe court via video feed from the immigration courthouse in San Antonio, a 2.5 hour drive north.

I've been requesting access to the tent courts in Laredo and Brownsville, in writing, from @CBP, @ICEgov and @DHSgov for two weeks, most recently on Friday. @DOJ_EOIR has affirmed that the courts are public.

When I arrived, a dozen @ICEgov and security employees were allowed inside. They said they could not let press in.

In order to reach the public entrance, you have to walk or drive down the overpass at right and walk up the stairs at left. There's no intercom or door bell.

Court ended for the day. Of 52 asylum seekers scheduled to appear at “tent court” in Laredo, 26 showed up, four of them had attorneys. The rest were ordered deported in absentia, including migrants from Nicaragua, Venezuela and Mexico.

This is Alejandra, 24, and her 4 year-old daughter Natalie. They waited since June to attend court, received a court date of Oct. 16 and decided they can't wait anymore. She said they're returning to Honduras. Many thanks to Daniel Mendez for the photo and feed!