Migrant Mother Crosses US Border Hoping for New Life
2021-03-22
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1Mayra is a 17-year-old migrant from Guatemala who recently crossed the Rio Grande River with her small child Marvin on her back.
2The river marks the border between the U.S. state of Texas and Mexico.
3Mayra had joined a group of about 70 migrants that crossed the river in the dark on small rafts.
4The group was mostly Guatemalan and Honduran women with young children and about 25 teenagers traveling alone.
5Mayra hoped that, as a teenaged mother, she would be permitted to stay in the United States.
6The group is among the thousands of migrants who have been crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks.
7The administration of President Joe Biden is trying to put the migrants in government housing during the coronavirus health crisis.
8A top Biden administration official said the number of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021 is expected to be the highest in 20 years.
9At least 9,200 children, who had arrived without adults, are in custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
10That government agency deals with migrant children.
11Mayra's group arrived in Penitas, Texas after crossing the river.
12The teens and parents then made the final part of their trip: walking to the U.S. border wall.
13There, they waited for U.S. border officers to take them into custody.
14Mayra went down a dirt road in between cotton fields on the way to the tall metal wall.
15Her baby was tired and crying.
16"I heard on the news that mothers with their babies and minors could come," she said.
17When a neighbor offered to help pay for her trip, she felt like she had no choice.
18Her father was dead. Her mother's health was getting worse.
19She was earning $5 a day planting corn.
20She sometimes took extra work washing clothes.
21Marvin's father had disappeared.
22He left us, she said while crying. "We have nothing."
23The group spent the final night of their trip on the floor of an empty building on a farm near the river.
24"We slept like animals," one young mother said.
25People in the group said word is spreading in Central America that people aged 17 and under and mothers of young children can enter the country.
26These claims, they said, caused them to take the long trip - in buses, on foot, and in trucks - to get to the Rio Grande River.
27Biden has said he wants to follow a more humane immigration policy than the policies of former president Donald Trump.
28Biden has begun to let in children who are not traveling with a parent or guardian.
29But he has kept in place Trump's public health order that closes the border to almost all asylum seekers.
30Some families with young children are also being let into the United States.
31That is partly because one Mexican border state, Tamaulipas, would not accept their return.
32However, Biden administration officials have urged migrants not to make the dangerous trip north.
33They explain that the border is not open and that most people crossing the border illegally will be sent back.
34Keiby is a 17-year-old woman from Honduras.
35She was the first among Mayra's group to arrive at the border wall.
36There was an open gate with no patrol agents, so she walked through and sat down to rest.
37She had heard she could be sent to a shelter for a few weeks before rejoining her family in the United States.
38She was excited to reunite with her mother, whom she had not seen for 14 years.
39"Now it's finally real" she said. "Thank God."
40Members of the U.S. military arrived in a truck and offered water to the migrants.
41A border patrol truck also arrived and agents stepped out.
42Then more agents arrived, separating the unaccompanied children, mostly teens, from those traveling as families.
43The border patrol agents lined up the minors likely to be traveling without adult guardians against large vehicles.
44They sat the families against the wall.
45Mayra stood at the end of the line of minors.
46Worried and crying, she fed Marvin and waited for border patrol agents.
47She said she has family members in New York and would like to start a life there in order to provide for her child.
48She also wants to send money back to her mother in Guatemala to buy medicine.
49"I hope they'll let me go to my sister," she said.
50I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Jill Robbins.
1Mayra is a 17-year-old migrant from Guatemala who recently crossed the Rio Grande River with her small child Marvin on her back. The river marks the border between the U.S. state of Texas and Mexico. 2Mayra had joined a group of about 70 migrants that crossed the river in the dark on small rafts. The group was mostly Guatemalan and Honduran women with young children and about 25 teenagers traveling alone. Mayra hoped that, as a teenaged mother, she would be permitted to stay in the United States. 3The group is among the thousands of migrants who have been crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks. The administration of President Joe Biden is trying to put the migrants in government housing during the coronavirus health crisis. 4A top Biden administration official said the number of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021 is expected to be the highest in 20 years. At least 9,200 children, who had arrived without adults, are in custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. That government agency deals with migrant children. 5Mayra's group arrived in Penitas, Texas after crossing the river. The teens and parents then made the final part of their trip: walking to the U.S. border wall. There, they waited for U.S. border officers to take them into custody. 6Mayra went down a dirt road in between cotton fields on the way to the tall metal wall. Her baby was tired and crying. 7"I heard on the news that mothers with their babies and minors could come," she said. 8When a neighbor offered to help pay for her trip, she felt like she had no choice. Her father was dead. Her mother's health was getting worse. She was earning $5 a day planting corn. She sometimes took extra work washing clothes. Marvin's father had disappeared. He left us, she said while crying. "We have nothing." 9The group spent the final night of their trip on the floor of an empty building on a farm near the river. "We slept like animals," one young mother said. 10'Now, it's finally real' 11People in the group said word is spreading in Central America that people aged 17 and under and mothers of young children can enter the country. These claims, they said, caused them to take the long trip - in buses, on foot, and in trucks - to get to the Rio Grande River. 12Biden has said he wants to follow a more humane immigration policy than the policies of former president Donald Trump. Biden has begun to let in children who are not traveling with a parent or guardian. But he has kept in place Trump's public health order that closes the border to almost all asylum seekers. 13Some families with young children are also being let into the United States. That is partly because one Mexican border state, Tamaulipas, would not accept their return. 14However, Biden administration officials have urged migrants not to make the dangerous trip north. They explain that the border is not open and that most people crossing the border illegally will be sent back. 15Keiby is a 17-year-old woman from Honduras. She was the first among Mayra's group to arrive at the border wall. There was an open gate with no patrol agents, so she walked through and sat down to rest. She had heard she could be sent to a shelter for a few weeks before rejoining her family in the United States. 16She was excited to reunite with her mother, whom she had not seen for 14 years. "Now it's finally real" she said. "Thank God." 17Members of the U.S. military arrived in a truck and offered water to the migrants. A border patrol truck also arrived and agents stepped out. 18Then more agents arrived, separating the unaccompanied children, mostly teens, from those traveling as families. 19The border patrol agents lined up the minors likely to be traveling without adult guardians against large vehicles. They sat the families against the wall. 20Mayra stood at the end of the line of minors. Worried and crying, she fed Marvin and waited for border patrol agents. 21She said she has family members in New York and would like to start a life there in order to provide for her child. She also wants to send money back to her mother in Guatemala to buy medicine. 22"I hope they'll let me go to my sister," she said. 23I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Jill Robbins. 24Reuters news agency reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 25________________________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27migrant -n. a person who goes from place to place especially to find work 28raft -n. a flat structure used to float on water like a boat 29custody -n. the state of being held by officials of the law; a state of being detained or held for protective reasons 30humane -adj. kind or gentle to people or animals 31patrol -n. people or vehicles that go through an area to make sure it is secure 32gate -n. an entrance in a fence or wall 33unaccompanied -adj. without another person; alone; without someone who is responsible 34minor -n. a person who is not yet old enough to be considered an adult