In Progress

Every day, hundreds of people start a trip up north from the countries south of the southern border of the United States. They go for a myriad of reasons. But the primary reason is to seek a better life for themselves and for their families.

Many of them never make it. Of those that don’t make it, the lucky ones will manage to find their way back to their home villages. The others will die. Some of them will never be found.

Some will make their way and cross the American border. If they don’t get caught on entry and get deported back to where they started from, they will live in an underground society, working extremely long hours under sub-standard conditions at menial jobs for nearly no pay. They will earn very little and, yet, will send most of it back to their home country to help support their family, a family that they may perhaps never see again. They will live in overcrowded conditions, sharing rooms and apartments with others in similar circumstances.

For most, they are doomed to a life of an underclass with little or no hope of ever entering mainstream society in their adopted country. Some will get together and build families. Their children will be American citizens and will live in the constant fear that a brief chance encounter or error will bring their parents to the attention of the authorities, resulting in the deportation of the parents and the transfer of the children to the foster care system of the United States.

A very few will get lucky and meet and marry an American citizen. After an exhaustive and lengthy process, these fortunate few may be rewarded with American residency and perhaps American citizenship. They will, at the very least, have the opportunity to travel to their home country to visit their families. But, if they have children or other relatives in their home country they wish to bring with them, it will take years and thousands of dollars in fees and legal costs to turn that dream into a reality.

Yet, despite the dangers and the gloomy future, for many, the prospect of remaining in their home country is even worse. So, they will sacrifice everything, face the dangers and risks, and take the trip up north.

At sixteen, Dulcinea already had a one-year-old boy. The boy had never met his father. As soon as Dulcinea found out she was pregnant, he left for the paradise up north in hopes of finding a job that paid enough for him to provide for her and the baby, and maybe one day, send for them.

Bill had been living in Central Florida for years as an undocumented immigrant. He had an American wife and American children. He worked hard to provide for his family. Caught in an immigration raid at the construction site where he worked, he was detained. In a few days, after standing up for another immigrant being mistreated by an officer, he was deported to Guatemala. Bill was from El Salvador. 

Tito came from a prominent family in Nicaragua. But his prominence would not protect him after he upset a drug cartel.

Bill and Tito will join Dulcinea for the trip up north.