Mass migration movements generate discussions about building walls, activating the National Guard, militarizing border enforcement, and keeping unauthorized migrants out of the United States. At the same time, forced migration entraps Central American and Mexican families into migrating. This study explores how legal violence influences social vulnerability during transit migration to the United States-Mexico border. Using a qualitative methods design consisting of 100 individual adult migrant interviews, participant observation, and photography, this study captures the lived experiences of migrants in transit. The implementation of Metering and Migrant Protection Protocols limits asylum opportunities and extends the time in transit. Formal means of migration places migrants in socially vulnerable situations similar to the violence they are fleeing from in their country of origin. Border enforcement practices can avoid revictimizing migrant families by prioritizing asylum cases and minimizing the wait for court decisions.