When Elena and her daughter began receiving threatening texts from the men who’d killed her husband, they began their journey from Honduras to the US border seeking asylum. But in December 2019, they did not expect to be turned away to wait in Guatemala.
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
The Trump administration’s “safe-third country” plan was rushed into effect in November 2019 and was an attempt to deter immigrants from El Salvador and Honduras from seeking asylum and sending them to Guatemala, a country also racked by poverty, violence, and instability.
Asylum-seekers who spoke to @BuzzFeedNews said being sent to Guatemala was like being sent back to the countries they had fled.
Ultimately, all 945 immigrants who were transferred decided to take their chances in their home countries, Mexico, or at the US border.
Ultimately, all 945 immigrants who were transferred decided to take their chances in their home countries, Mexico, or at the US border.
After being sent to Guatemala, Elena returned to Honduras, but moved to the outskirts of the city and continued to move around for more than a year. Yet, Elena continued to receive threats.
"I felt defeated.”
"I felt defeated.”
Now, Elena and others are getting a second chance as the Biden administration has begun taking steps to help some affected by the policy formally known as the Asylum Cooperative Agreement.
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
In May, US officials agreed to allow six plaintiffs, including Elena, who sued over the plan to return to the US and seek asylum protections and on May 4, Elena landed in Miami and has been waiting to one day make her asylum case in front of a judge.
"I'm happy because being here I know my daughter is safe and I can breathe more easily," Elena said.
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
Officials also previously discussed allowing others sent to Guatemala under the policy a chance to apply for refugee status.
But immigrant advocates believe more should be done for the hundreds of other immigrants sent to Guatemala.
But immigrant advocates believe more should be done for the hundreds of other immigrants sent to Guatemala.
“As long as the ACA’s regulatory infrastructure exists, we’re in danger of something like this happening again.”
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
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