Forty years ago, Rafael Larraenza took his life into his hands to cross into the US from Mexico. After building a successful career and gaining legal status, a twist of fate rocked his comfortable middle-class existence and drew him back to the border. The first to systematically search for lost immigrants, he is a highly esteemed hero in Latin American communities, having spent the last 25 years searching the treacherous deserts and mountains for immigrants in need of rescue – saving hundreds of lives and recovering the remains of those who perished attempting to cross. With only his determination and a shoe-string budget, Rafael is determined to bring closure to families torn apart by the harsh realities of migration.

Now, we join Rafael at a fraught time in his quest. After decades spent on deadly terrain and in need of a double hip replacement, Rafael is unwilling to slow down — haunted by the knowledge that a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death for those lost along the border. When Indira, a mother from El Salvador, requests help for her missing son, university student Rodrigo, Rafael directs all of his energy to save the young man. But the years have taken a toll on Rafael’s body and resources. With every search-and-rescue mission he risks his own life, not knowing if and when the desert will finally claim him too.

With unprecedented access, Desert Angel traverses the beautiful, deadly countryside few native-born Americans ever see and shares the powerful stories of those who survived and those who were lost.