This thesis explores the Haitian migrant influx of September 2021 to the twin border cities of Del Rio, Texas, and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, particularly examining the ways in which people reacted to, adapted to, and navigated this event and its aftermath on a local level, thereby shaping the borderlands in nuanced ways. By examining community perceptions gleaned from twenty-four semi-structured interviews with border residents, and employing a transborder approach, this research aims to counter reductive media narratives that often emphasize crisis and migrant vulnerability. Findings suggest that local perceptions of the Haitian migrant influx significantly reflect the complexities of community experiences and interactions in relation to migratory phenomenon, revealing layered and uneven impacts on both sides of the border that evolve immediately and over time. The thesis concludes that future research should continue to document evolving dynamics, with an emphasis on centering the lived experiences of people living in the borderlands as migration patterns and political landscapes shift across the United States-Mexico border region.