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IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_21]()
ARRIAGA, MEXICO - AUGUST 04: Central American migrants sit atop a freight train as lightning flashes early on August 4, 2013 in Arriaga, Mexico. Thousands of immigrants ride atop the trains, known as "la bestia," or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many of the immigrants are robbed or assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey will arrive safely on their first attempt to illegally enter the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_22]()
ARRIAGA, MEXICO - AUGUST 04: Central American migrants climb atop a freight train headed north early on August 4, 2013 in Arriaga, Mexico. Thousands of immigrants ride atop the trains, known as "la bestia," or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many of the immigrants are robbed or assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey will arrive safely on their first attempt to illegally enter the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_20]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 04: Immigrants arrive for a rest stop after a 15 hour ride atop a freight train headed north early on August 4, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of migrants ride atop the trains, known as 'la bestia,' or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many of the immigrants are robbed or assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey will arrive safely on their first attempt to illegally enter the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_25]()
TAPACHULA, MEXICO - JULY 31: Undocumented immigrants Eduardo Contreras, 23, from Honduras and Elvira Lopez, 22, from Guatemala stand on crutches at the Jesus el Buen Pastor shelter on July 31, 2013 in Tapachula, Mexico. They are both convalescing at the shelter after separately falling under the wheels of a freight train while in route to the United States, each losing their right leg. The shelter, which relies entirely on private donations, has helped countless immigrants recover from their wounds while helping arrange for prosthetics. Many immigrants fall off and are maimed while on freight trains known as "la bestia", which they ride during their long journey north. They said they both had fallen asleep while atop freight cars and were knocked off by tree branches. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_8]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants walk after arriving atop a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_16]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants ride under a blazing sun on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_12]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants ride north on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_2]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_3]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train to the Hermanos en el Camino immigrant shelter on August 6, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. The sign outside reads "Welcome Migrants." Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_9]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants walk after arriving atop a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_10]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants walk after arriving atop a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_6]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants ride north on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_24]()
ARRIAGA, MEXICO - AUGUST 04: A Central American immigrants prepare to climb aboard a freight train headed north early on August 4, 2013 in Arriaga, Mexico. Thousands of migrants ride atop the trains, known as "la bestia," or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many of the immigrants are robbed or assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey will arrive safely on their first attempt to illegally enter the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_4]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_1]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_17]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants ride under a blazing sun on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![the_Beast_26]()
CIUDAD HIDALGO, MEXICO - AUGUST 02: People cross the Suchiate River from Guatemala into Mexico on August 2, 2013 in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, Mexico. Thousands of undocumeted Central Americans pass illegally through Mexico, many of them immigrants on the first leg of their long and perilous journey north to the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_5]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_7]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants arrive on top of a freight train for a stop on August 6, 2013 in Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_13]()
IXTEPEC, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants pass a Krishna temple while riding atop a freight train on August 6, 2013 to Ixtepec, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the United States border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_18]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants ride north on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_14]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants fall asleep on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)![The_Beast_15]()
JUCHITAN, MEXICO - AUGUST 06: Central American immigrants duck tree branches while riding on top of a freight train on August 6, 2013 near Juchitan, Mexico. Thousands of Central American migrants ride the trains, known as 'la bestia', or the beast, during their long and perilous journey north through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Some of the immigrants are robbed and assaulted by gangs who control the train tops, while others fall asleep and tumble down, losing limbs or perishing under the wheels of the trains. Only a fraction of the immigrants who start the journey in Central America will traverse Mexico completely unscathed - and all this before illegally entering the United States and facing the considerable U.S. border security apparatus designed to track, detain and deport them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)On Board 'The Beast': Immigrants Make Perilous Journey To U.S.
Bound for the U.S., about 450,000 migrants travel through Mexico every year and many do so by illegally riding on top of a freight train, known as “The Beast” or “The Death Train.”
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- On Board 'The Beast': Immigrants Make Perilous Journey To U.S.
