I spent my Independence Day out in Murrieta again covering the ongoing immigration protests for Reuters. It was probably the most tense day to this point, with multiple arrests, rising temperatures and tempers.
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Police break up a scuffle before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
A woman who declined to give her name pickets against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Police break up a scuffle before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
A protestor is handcuffed and placed in a police car after a scuffle broke out before the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 4, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
I was back covering the protests in Murrieta on Wednesday night as the community hosted an overflow town hall discussion about the immigrants being bused to the local Border Patrol facility. Here are a few from that night:
Isabelle Barth, 14, protests the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Residents cheer after a speaker discussed the blocking of buses carrying undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Residents and protestors attend a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Residents and protestors attend a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Murrieta resident Paul Hathaway, who is opposed to undocumented immigrant being brought to the city, heads into a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Residents and protestors attend a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Residents and protestors attend a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Latino singer Lupillo Rivera speaks outside a town hall meeting to discuss the processing of undocumented immigrants in Murrieta, California July 2, 2014. Dozens more Central Americans caught sneaking into the United States were shipped quietly to California for processing by immigration officials on Wednesday, a day after protesters blocked bus loads of migrant families bound for the Murrieta Border Patrol station. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
I spent all of Tuesday watching people cheer, chant U.S.A. and wave American flags.
I wasn't covering the World Cup.
I was in Murrieta, California, where demonstrators stopped a bus carrying undocumented migrants, many of them children, from entering the Murrieta Border Patrol Facility, where they were scheduled to be processed.
It was a hot and heated afternoon that involved a lot of high tempers and pushing and shoving. After the demonstrators blocked the road, the buses retreated and took the migrants to other facilities in San Diego. Here are a few from the shoot:
Temecula resident Zorina Bennett pickets against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Law enforcement attempt to control demonstrators picketing both for and against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picketing against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station block the buses carrying the migrants in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picketing against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station block the buses carrying the migrants in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Border Patrol agents watch as demonstrators picket against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picketing against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station block the buses carrying the migrants in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picketing both for and against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station shout at each other in the street in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picket against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Demonstrators picketing against the arrival of undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station block the buses carrying the migrants in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Law enforcement officials riding buses packed with undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station watch as demonstrators block the buses in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
Buses packed with undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station retreat up the road after being stopped in their tracks by demonstrators in Murrieta, California July 1, 2014. Some 140 undocumented immigrants, many of them women with children, will be flown from Texas to California and processed through a San Diego-area U.S. Border Patrol station as federal officials deal with a crush of Central American migrants at the border, a local mayor said on Monday. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES)
