Separated at Border, Family Is Building New Life Together
2021-05-31
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Honduran immigrant Keldy Mabel Gonzales Brebe entered the United States legally this month to join her children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
2She had not seen them since 2017 when U.S. border officials separated the family under policy of the former administration of President Donald Trump.
3Keldy missed celebrating birthdays and holidays together.
4Her teenagers filled out and grew facial hair.
5"There were times I thought I would never see them again," she said.
6Keldy fled Honduras with her sons after drug traffickers threatened their lives.
7She asked for asylum at the U.S. border.
8Instead, U.S. officials separated her from her children, put her in jail and then sent her back to Honduras.
9These actions were part of President Trump's policy to arrest all adults entering the country illegally.
10Her sons were detained temporarily and then permitted to go to live in Philadelphia with relatives.
11Keldy's immigration story began on the north Caribbean shore of Honduras, a tourist area.
12Her husband was a guide, taking visitors on rainforest, wetlands, and river tours.
13She described herself as a middle-class housewife who prepared meals for the tourists who employed her husband's services.
14Criminal drug-trafficking groups controlled territory in the area.
15They demanded money of businesses and individuals in exchange for protection.
16The punishment for failing to pay was murder.
17Assassins killed four of Keldy's brothers and sisters.
18After she spoke against the killers during a trial in 2011, she received many death threats.
19There was a price on her head, she was told.
20The whole family fled to Mexico in 2013 but the Mexican government returned them to Honduras immediately.
21Back in Honduras, they sought safety and secrecy in a rural mountain area.
22Her husband left for the U.S. again, this time reaching the state of Texas.
23Then, in 2017, neighbors warned Keldy that people were asking worrisome questions about her.
24So, she fled the country again with her sons.
25She crossed the border with her youngest son Erick, now 17, and her middle child Mino, now 19, in the fall of 2017.
26Keldy stopped a Border Patrol car to ask for asylum.
27The officials took her and her sons together to a detention center in Deming, New Mexico, 35 miles north of the border.
28They put restraints on her and separated her from the boys.
29Soon, the officials released the boys and family members paid for their flight to Philadelphia.
30Their older brother, Alex, now 21, became legally responsible for his brothers and cared for them while they went to school. He worked in the building industry.
31But Keldy was kept in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in El Paso, Texas, for a year and a half. Officials sent her to Honduras in January 2019.
32She returned to Mexico, waiting for a chance to enter the United States.
33Her family sent her money to live on. She video messaged with her boys.
34The memories of their graduations and other big moments during that time are painful because she could not be with them.
35Finally, last month, Linda Corchado, director of legal services at the non-profit Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, contacted her.
36Officials in the Biden administration were working to reunite families separated at the border.
37She told Keldy to get passport photos.
38Keldy entered Texas on May 4 in a car with Corchado.
39Then she flew to Philadelphia.
40A video shows the family reunion on May 4 in the Philadelphia home of a relative.
41Keldy cried while her children hugged her.
42"Hola mi amor, amor mío ("Hello my love, my love")," she said, her face buried in the arms of her sons.
43Keldy is thankful to be with her family, free from death threats in Honduras and the pain of separation.
44But there are many difficulties.
45Keldy's son, Mino, left school to help pay the rent on the house that six of them share.
46She wants to get a job but is caring for her seven-year-old niece who has special needs and her 75-year-old mother.
47She also cooks and cleans for the family.
48Keldy says she sees drug use and hears gun shots in their Philadelphia neighborhood.
49She is happy, now, to be with her children.
50She knows that it is more than many of her fellow migrants have.
51"Every day I pray to God for other mothers to be able to come in. They cry for their kids," she said.
52"They ask me 'do you know anything new?' and I tell them to have patience. And I tell them they will succeed."
53I'm Jill Robbins.
1Honduran immigrant Keldy Mabel Gonzales Brebe entered the United States legally this month to join her children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She had not seen them since 2017 when U.S. border officials separated the family under policy of the former administration of President Donald Trump. 2Keldy missed celebrating birthdays and holidays together. Her teenagers filled out and grew facial hair. 3"There were times I thought I would never see them again," she said. 4Keldy fled Honduras with her sons after drug traffickers threatened their lives. She asked for asylum at the U.S. border. Instead, U.S. officials separated her from her children, put her in jail and then sent her back to Honduras. These actions were part of President Trump's policy to arrest all adults entering the country illegally. 5Her sons were detained temporarily and then permitted to go to live in Philadelphia with relatives. 6Keldy's immigration story began on the north Caribbean shore of Honduras, a tourist area. Her husband was a guide, taking visitors on rainforest, wetlands, and river tours. She described herself as a middle-class housewife who prepared meals for the tourists who employed her husband's services. 7Criminal drug-trafficking groups controlled territory in the area. They demanded money of businesses and individuals in exchange for protection. The punishment for failing to pay was murder. 8Assassins killed four of Keldy's brothers and sisters. After she spoke against the killers during a trial in 2011, she received many death threats. There was a price on her head, she was told. 9The whole family fled to Mexico in 2013 but the Mexican government returned them to Honduras immediately. 10Back in Honduras, they sought safety and secrecy in a rural mountain area. Her husband left for the U.S. again, this time reaching the state of Texas. Then, in 2017, neighbors warned Keldy that people were asking worrisome questions about her. So, she fled the country again with her sons. 11She crossed the border with her youngest son Erick, now 17, and her middle child Mino, now 19, in the fall of 2017. 12Keldy stopped a Border Patrol car to ask for asylum. The officials took her and her sons together to a detention center in Deming, New Mexico, 35 miles north of the border. They put restraints on her and separated her from the boys. 13Soon, the officials released the boys and family members paid for their flight to Philadelphia. Their older brother, Alex, now 21, became legally responsible for his brothers and cared for them while they went to school. He worked in the building industry. 14But Keldy was kept in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in El Paso, Texas, for a year and a half. Officials sent her to Honduras in January 2019. 15She returned to Mexico, waiting for a chance to enter the United States. Her family sent her money to live on. She video messaged with her boys. The memories of their graduations and other big moments during that time are painful because she could not be with them. 16Finally, last month, Linda Corchado, director of legal services at the non-profit Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, contacted her. Officials in the Biden administration were working to reunite families separated at the border. She told Keldy to get passport photos. 17Keldy entered Texas on May 4 in a car with Corchado. Then she flew to Philadelphia. 18A video shows the family reunion on May 4 in the Philadelphia home of a relative. Keldy cried while her children hugged her. "Hola mi amor, amor mío ("Hello my love, my love")," she said, her face buried in the arms of her sons. 19Keldy is thankful to be with her family, free from death threats in Honduras and the pain of separation. 20But there are many difficulties. Keldy's son, Mino, left school to help pay the rent on the house that six of them share. She wants to get a job but is caring for her seven-year-old niece who has special needs and her 75-year-old mother. She also cooks and cleans for the family. Keldy says she sees drug use and hears gun shots in their Philadelphia neighborhood. 21She is happy, now, to be with her children. She knows that it is more than many of her fellow migrants have. 22"Every day I pray to God for other mothers to be able to come in. They cry for their kids," she said. "They ask me 'do you know anything new?' and I tell them to have patience. And I tell them they will succeed." 23I'm Jill Robbins. 24Claudia Torrens wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 25__________________________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27tourist - n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure 28middle class - n. the social class that is between the upper class and the lower class and that includes mainly business and professional people, government officials, and skilled workers 29assassin - n. a person who kills someone (such as a famous or important person) usually for political reasons or for money 30hug - n. to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship 31niece - n. daughter of your brother or sister 32kid - n. child 33What do you think of the practice of separating immigrant families? Does it happen where you live? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section