The following article was originally published by Aimée Santillán, Jesús de la Torre, Manuel Guzmán and Luke Monnich from Frontera Dispatch, a part of HOPE Border Institute. The article was originally shared through a newsletter on May 14, 2024.
Let me share a story about a young boy named Leandro. Our paths crossed when he wandered into my office from the shelter quarters across the way recently seeking some conversation. Hailing from Venezuela, he recounted a harrowing journey to the border alongside his father and little sister. As we talked, Leandro asked me for a Bible (he had lost his own when crossing the border). I felt bad that I could only offer an English translation, but he didn’t mind – his eyes widened with wonder when he realized that I was bilingual. I gave him a notebook and crayons and before he took his leave, he gifted the notebook back to me, with the drawing above. It struck my heart… What a testament to resilience.
I still can’t shake the weight of Leandro’s journey to our doorstep.
It weighs heavily on my mind as I think about how U.S. immigration policies continue to inflict pain on families and children like Leandro. Recent developments, such as the Biden administration’s proposed administrative rule, only serve to compound the pain. The rule entrusts asylum officers with the formidable task of determining the fate of families like his – detained, fatigued and lacking legal counsel – based on convoluted legal standards during initial interviews.
Meanwhile, Texas’ punitive measures, epitomized by the expansion of razor wire along the border, the criminalization of migrants and those welcoming them, exacerbate the pain. It’s imperative that we strive for solutions that center compassion and solidarity.
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