Lucy Alamillo and Maia Ixchel Ramirez

One of the greatest unknowns Americans face today relies on the implementation of the immigration policies passed by the Trump Administration. The photograph Lucy Alamillo and Maia Ixchel Ramirez, taken by Loren Sandvik in 2000, is a testament to this conflict’s continued relevance in American life. An especially salient issue in Southern California, due to the state’s proximity to the United States Mexico border, hundreds of thousands of people are uncertain about their status in the country the now call home. This black and white photograph, showing a young woman holding her young child, with blood dripping down the young woman’s face is particularly poignant. The wound inflicted scarring not only the mother, but also her young daughter whose future becomes uncertain.