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I fled for my life from El Salvador to the U.S. in 2010 at 19-years-old. The U.S. government detained me for a month and half. Upon my release, I was able to reunite with relatives here in Colorado who helped me contract with an attorney to represent me.
El Salvador is in turmoil. In many areas, including where I’m from, parents keep their children home from school to protect them from recruitment by gangs, and people are afraid to travel to health clinics due to the violence. Women have very few protections under the law. El Salvador has the highest rate of femicide in the world, and miscarriage is punishable by 30 years in prison.
I met my now husband, Jorge, while awaiting court. We have three U.S. citizen children together—Jorge, 6; Christopher, 4; and Kevin, 2—and a fourth on the way. Jorge works at a local car dealership and has Temporary Protected Status. I am the only person in my family without immigration status.
Like many survivors of trauma, my testimony in court was not entirely consistent with what I had reported before at the border. My asylum was denied. Fearing I would be killed in El Salvador, I didn't leave as ordered and decided to remain in the U.S. for my safety.
In 2016, when I was pregnant with Kevin, Immigration went to our house and told me I had to leave. A new lawyer helped me apply for a stay of deportation. Although ICE granted me a one-year stay of deportation through July, 2017, my application for an extension of my stay was denied. Fearing for my life again as well as separation from my children, I made the difficult decision to give up my freedom by claiming sanctuary in August of 2017 at Park Hill United Methodist Church and Temple Micah.
After 20 months in Sanctuary, my legal case is finally moving again. Your contribution will help make sure the wheels of justice don’t stop turning and that my lawyer will have the resources to gain my, and my family’s, freedom.
El Salvador is in turmoil. In many areas, including where I’m from, parents keep their children home from school to protect them from recruitment by gangs, and people are afraid to travel to health clinics due to the violence. Women have very few protections under the law. El Salvador has the highest rate of femicide in the world, and miscarriage is punishable by 30 years in prison.
I met my now husband, Jorge, while awaiting court. We have three U.S. citizen children together—Jorge, 6; Christopher, 4; and Kevin, 2—and a fourth on the way. Jorge works at a local car dealership and has Temporary Protected Status. I am the only person in my family without immigration status.
Like many survivors of trauma, my testimony in court was not entirely consistent with what I had reported before at the border. My asylum was denied. Fearing I would be killed in El Salvador, I didn't leave as ordered and decided to remain in the U.S. for my safety.
In 2016, when I was pregnant with Kevin, Immigration went to our house and told me I had to leave. A new lawyer helped me apply for a stay of deportation. Although ICE granted me a one-year stay of deportation through July, 2017, my application for an extension of my stay was denied. Fearing for my life again as well as separation from my children, I made the difficult decision to give up my freedom by claiming sanctuary in August of 2017 at Park Hill United Methodist Church and Temple Micah.
After 20 months in Sanctuary, my legal case is finally moving again. Your contribution will help make sure the wheels of justice don’t stop turning and that my lawyer will have the resources to gain my, and my family’s, freedom.