The American dream remains a compelling tale among migrants south of the border — but the objective has shifted: For many, simply trying to stay alive is what's driving them.
hide captionToya Sarno Jordan for NPRToya Sarno Jordan for NPRJesús Ariel and his son are among those recidivists who have tried to cross more than once. For them, there's too much on the line to give up now.
"These are border cities where we frequently find bodies that have a link to migration, and who die trying to cross or due to other violent causes," Vaca says. They're all in their own world. That is, until they have to decide what shoes they're going to take with them on the journey to the U.S. Gutierrez and his family are also escaping gang violence. Their business was being extorted back home in Guatemala, and after a gang didn't get their way, they received death threats. They are seeking safety but no longer want to compromise their children's mental health. Gutierrez and his wife have promised their kids this will be their final attempt to get into the United States.
Raudales had less than four hours to leave her home after they received the death threats. They grabbed what they could and took the first bus headed towards Mexico. On such little notice, Raudales says she couldn't afford bus tickets for the whole family, and she feared her 12-year-old daughter would be kidnapped or forced into sex trafficking along the way — so the decision was made to leave her behind with family.