Hugs at the border

Standing on the U.S. side of the border, Andres Gallegos Arguello, 33, holds his mother’s finger through the meshed fence.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 14, 2016 10:09 AM PT

Family members can touch only fingertips through a mesh fence at Friendship Circle during the weekends.

Standing on the Mexico side, Eva Arguello, 71, wipes her tears after seeing her 33-year-old son, Andres Gallegos, standing on the U.S. side.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Standing on the Mexico side of the border, Eva Arguello, 71, passes a straw through meshed fence so her 10-year-old grandson Saiid Gallegos, standing on U.S. side, can sip apple juice. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Standing on U.S. side of the border, Andres Gallegos Arguello sips apple juice from a straw passed through meshed fence at Friendship Circle.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Andres Gallegos and Eva Arguello look through the meshed fence for their son, Andres Gallegos Arguello, standing on the U.S. side.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Andres Gallegos, 33, holds his 10-year-old son Saiid Gallegos to meet family on the Mexico side of the meshed fence.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A mariachi band plays on the Mexican side.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Standing on the U.S. side of the border, Arcen Avagyan, 42, left, trains his eyes on the meshed fence looking for his wife, who is in Mexico.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Standing on U.S. side of the border, Arcen Avagyan, 42, sneaks into prohibited area to meet his wife, Anna Sargisyan, 28, in Mexico. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times )