Gabriela, a former television worker from Ecuador, originally planned a trip to Disney World for her daughter's joy, only to find it transformed into a desperate escape from life-threatening cartel violence. Living a standard middle-class lifestyle in Guayaquil, her world shattered after receiving chilling threats from gangs demanding extortion payments. When her daughter's grandfather was kidnapped and murdered after a terrifying ransom video, Gabriela knew she had no choice but to leave with her daughter for safety.
Now in the US, she finds herself among countless others with pending asylum claims, grappling with an asylum process that often overlooks violence from organized crime. Asylum laws protect only certain categories of persecution, and many fleeing cartel terror struggle to find legal grounds for their claims. Although the Biden administration has attempted to ease restrictions put in place during Trump's presidency, challenges remain.
Immigration experts warn that many applicants from Latin America are facing tougher scrutiny, with significant delays in their cases. Gabriela works long hours in a US factory, fearing every small mistake could jeopardize her status. Her application for political asylum hinges on the corrupt ties between gangs and law enforcement back in Ecuador.
Similar stories abound, with others like Maria and Luis also escaping violence and extortion in their home country, helplessly navigating an overburdened system with no clear path ahead. Many express frustration at being misunderstood, hoping to attain safety and a life free from terror, yet feeling trapped in a complex web of bureaucracy, fearing that they may be seen as complicit in the very violence they have fled.
Now in the US, she finds herself among countless others with pending asylum claims, grappling with an asylum process that often overlooks violence from organized crime. Asylum laws protect only certain categories of persecution, and many fleeing cartel terror struggle to find legal grounds for their claims. Although the Biden administration has attempted to ease restrictions put in place during Trump's presidency, challenges remain.
Immigration experts warn that many applicants from Latin America are facing tougher scrutiny, with significant delays in their cases. Gabriela works long hours in a US factory, fearing every small mistake could jeopardize her status. Her application for political asylum hinges on the corrupt ties between gangs and law enforcement back in Ecuador.
Similar stories abound, with others like Maria and Luis also escaping violence and extortion in their home country, helplessly navigating an overburdened system with no clear path ahead. Many express frustration at being misunderstood, hoping to attain safety and a life free from terror, yet feeling trapped in a complex web of bureaucracy, fearing that they may be seen as complicit in the very violence they have fled.
