THREAD
For months I've been seeking migrant families split from their children at the border to understand the real impact.
Three agreed to talk. They endured the pain of retelling so people know what Trump's government is doing.
Here are their stories.
telegraph.co.uk/news/us-child-…
For months I've been seeking migrant families split from their children at the border to understand the real impact.
Three agreed to talk. They endured the pain of retelling so people know what Trump's government is doing.
Here are their stories.
telegraph.co.uk/news/us-child-…
Some context first.
Between April and June 2018, child separation was the official policy of the Trump administration.
Anyone caught crossing the border illegally would be charged. If you were with a child, that meant separation.
It was part of a 'zero tolerance' approach.
Between April and June 2018, child separation was the official policy of the Trump administration.
Anyone caught crossing the border illegally would be charged. If you were with a child, that meant separation.
It was part of a 'zero tolerance' approach.
The policy was ditched after international outcry.
C. 2800 children were separated in that period. 1500 more were split before, when policy was unofficial.
It's also not totally over. If a parent is deemed a danger, separation still happens. 1000+ split since policy 'ended'.
C. 2800 children were separated in that period. 1500 more were split before, when policy was unofficial.
It's also not totally over. If a parent is deemed a danger, separation still happens. 1000+ split since policy 'ended'.
Last bit of context - some names have been changed and details held back to protect the families involved.
Given anonymity the US admin was not approached re specifics of each case. But lawyers for all three families corroborated key parts of their stories.
Given anonymity the US admin was not approached re specifics of each case. But lawyers for all three families corroborated key parts of their stories.
FAMILY 1
This is Milagros and Elias. They fled a Central American country because of racism and sought asylum in US.
Milagros is in her early 30s. Elias, her son, is 8. He was seven when he was separated from his mother.
[Pic: @JamesBreeden]
This is Milagros and Elias. They fled a Central American country because of racism and sought asylum in US.
Milagros is in her early 30s. Elias, her son, is 8. He was seven when he was separated from his mother.
[Pic: @JamesBreeden]
Milagros had tried once to seek asylum before but could not pay bail when she reached America and was deported.
She was determined to try again last year, given the discrimination she faced at home based on her skin colour. She didn't want Elias to grow up a victim of racism.
She was determined to try again last year, given the discrimination she faced at home based on her skin colour. She didn't want Elias to grow up a victim of racism.
After travelling through Mexico together [suffering in ways lawyers asked us not to document], they presented themselves at Texas border and asked for asylum.
They were taken into US + put in the 'ice box', the notorious freezing holding cells used by border officials.
They were taken into US + put in the 'ice box', the notorious freezing holding cells used by border officials.
Then they were informed of a new policy. Officials told Milagros to say goodbye to her son + leave room.
Recalling the moment, she begun to cry during our interview.
"I just thought, why did I come here? I had already suffered so much. Why did I bring my son here to suffer?”
Recalling the moment, she begun to cry during our interview.
"I just thought, why did I come here? I had already suffered so much. Why did I bring my son here to suffer?”
Milagros says her son [then just 7] was distraught.
“He was just crying. He was saying 'mum, what will become of us? What's going to become of us?’"
"And so I told him, 'you're going to be fine. And if they deport me and send you out here, then you're going to behave well, ok?"
“He was just crying. He was saying 'mum, what will become of us? What's going to become of us?’"
"And so I told him, 'you're going to be fine. And if they deport me and send you out here, then you're going to behave well, ok?"
For at least a fortnight Milagros had know idea where her son had been taken. She was moved to a detention facility in southern Texas.
She did not talk to him or have any info about his movements. [It turned out he had been sent to a shelter in New York state.]
She did not talk to him or have any info about his movements. [It turned out he had been sent to a shelter in New York state.]
Eventually, after 2 months apart, they were reunited as Milagros's asylum case was progressed.
The joy of rejoining was mixed with concern - she noted Elias had lost weight. He was angry with her for lying that Americans were kind + would look after them.
[Pic: James Breeden]
The joy of rejoining was mixed with concern - she noted Elias had lost weight. He was angry with her for lying that Americans were kind + would look after them.
[Pic: James Breeden]
They're now rebuilding their lives in New Orleans.
Whenever Milagros asks her son what happened he will not say. She believes he is traumatised.
She sometimes considers getting a psychiatrist but can't afford one. She hopes time will prove a healer.
Watch their story below:
Whenever Milagros asks her son what happened he will not say. She believes he is traumatised.
She sometimes considers getting a psychiatrist but can't afford one. She hopes time will prove a healer.
Watch their story below:
FAMILY 2
This is Nery Sr and Nery Jr. The father is 43. The son was 15 when they went to America.
They agreed to speak on the record together about what they went through.
[Pic: Neville Elder]
This is Nery Sr and Nery Jr. The father is 43. The son was 15 when they went to America.
They agreed to speak on the record together about what they went through.
[Pic: Neville Elder]
They lived in rural Guatemala. One day Nery Jr was approached by gangs. The message was clear - join or be killed.
After the threat they agreed to leave in the middle of the night and seek refuge in America. They barely had time to say goodbye to loved ones.
After the threat they agreed to leave in the middle of the night and seek refuge in America. They barely had time to say goodbye to loved ones.
The journey to US was treacherous.
They were transported in a lorry so cramped people were passing out. At one point Nery Sr had to hand all his money over to Mexican police demanding payment.
They eventually walked across a low part of the Rio Grande and turned themselves in.
They were transported in a lorry so cramped people were passing out. At one point Nery Sr had to hand all his money over to Mexican police demanding payment.
They eventually walked across a low part of the Rio Grande and turned themselves in.
Once in custody, they were told about separation. Father and son were in a room of about 20 migrants, half parents and half children.
The kids were ordered to leave the room. Nery Sr's eyes filled with tears recalling the moment. He said the guards showed no sympathy.
The kids were ordered to leave the room. Nery Sr's eyes filled with tears recalling the moment. He said the guards showed no sympathy.
Nery Sr: “I said ‘don't worry, no one's going to hurt you, we came here looking for support.’
"It was a terrible situation, there were kids of two or three who were clinging to their mothers and they were taking them away from them.”
Both father and son were crying.
"It was a terrible situation, there were kids of two or three who were clinging to their mothers and they were taking them away from them.”
Both father and son were crying.
It was a month before Nery Sr learnt even the most basic info about where his son was.
He had no money [the Mexican police had demanded it] so could not pay to make a phone call.
Nery Sr was then deported. It would be 11 months - almost a year - before he saw him again.
He had no money [the Mexican police had demanded it] so could not pay to make a phone call.
Nery Sr was then deported. It would be 11 months - almost a year - before he saw him again.
They were reunited in US. [Nery Sr won a legal battle to have his asylum case heard.]
Nery Sr: “Taking your child away from you is like taking away part of your heart. People think it's hard but they haven't lived it. I think it's the hardest thing anyone could ever go through."
Nery Sr: “Taking your child away from you is like taking away part of your heart. People think it's hard but they haven't lived it. I think it's the hardest thing anyone could ever go through."
FAMILY THREE
Esperanza has seven children. She is in her mid-30s and fled a Central American country with one son, Lucas, who was 15 at the time. [He declined to talk].
[Pic: Neville Elder]
Esperanza has seven children. She is in her mid-30s and fled a Central American country with one son, Lucas, who was 15 at the time. [He declined to talk].
[Pic: Neville Elder]
Esperanza suffered terribly at home. She fell in love with her first boyfriend but he began drinking and turned abusive.
One day, she says, he raped her in front of their children. She fled to her grandmother's but the harassment did not stop. So she sought asylum in America.
One day, she says, he raped her in front of their children. She fled to her grandmother's but the harassment did not stop. So she sought asylum in America.
Unlike the other two stories, Esperanza was not told about the separation policy at first.
The guards just said that because Lucas was a teenager he would be kept with the men.
"It's just going to be a few minutes" one said. It would be 4 months before they saw eachother again.
The guards just said that because Lucas was a teenager he would be kept with the men.
"It's just going to be a few minutes" one said. It would be 4 months before they saw eachother again.
When the guards finally admitted they were permanently separated, Esperanza begged to see her son one last time.
“I asked 'can I say goodbye?'. They said 'no you can't'."
“I started crying. They said 'no sorry, there's nothing we can do'.”
“I asked 'can I say goodbye?'. They said 'no you can't'."
“I started crying. They said 'no sorry, there's nothing we can do'.”
Misery turned to agony days later. Put on a top bunk, Esperanza's C-section scar from a year earlier opened up as she climbed down.
She was lying in an infirmary in intense pain having no idea what had happened to her son. They were eventually reunited in New York.
She was lying in an infirmary in intense pain having no idea what had happened to her son. They were eventually reunited in New York.
These are the stories of just three families. There are at least 5,500 others like them.
To read our full 3,000-word account of what happened, and all the context, please do click below. @Telegraph
telegraph.co.uk/news/us-child-…
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To read our full 3,000-word account of what happened, and all the context, please do click below. @Telegraph
telegraph.co.uk/news/us-child-…
[end]
