She says she didn’t see her aunt until she was in seventh grade, when her sister took her across the
border without a passport, risking capture by Customs and
Border Protection (CBP). “She would not let go of me,” said Blankenburg, referring to the first time her aunt saw her.
But on Saturday, there was no border; people were once again free to cross the river, oblivious to their wet jeans and boots, and without fear of being detained for lack of proper documentation.