Activists from Ferguson to Los Angeles took a border tour ahead of Netroots Nation to immerse themselves in the realities faced by undocumented immigrants in Arizona and the often grim journeys of those who try to make it through the desert.

PHOENIX — Inside, away from the 105-degree heat, the scene was intense: progressive activists, crying and expressing anger and disbelief, as undocumented immigrants and activists described in personal terms the grim realities of the border — skeletal remains in the desert, days without food and water, and deportation. This was the plan. The leadership behind Netroots Nation and immigration activists in Arizona wanted to acquaint the committed progressive activists who attend the annual Netroots gathering with the border-focused work the immigration activists do. There in the offices of Puente Arizona, a local immigration advocacy group led by longtime activist Carlos Garcia, a group of committed progressive activists were bombarded with personal accounts by undocumented immigrants of harsh conditions.

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