SAN DIEGO – A week after Title 42 immigration policy was scrapped, we follow the trajectory of a Colombian family from waiting out in the open to their destination in a makeshift camp between two border walls in search of the American dream.
This Colombian family assures them they have the peace of mind the United States has provided them, and they say they’ll repeat their trip one more time, even if it means spending the day at the border, all in safety and peace in this country for
The migrant family said, “It was worth every moment we spent in agony.”
They spent several days in the sun, cold and uncomfortable conditions between the Tijuana and San Diego borders waiting to be acted upon by Border Patrol agents.
Colombian immigrant Alonso Venegas said, “I’m about to give up, it’s already very stressful, many days, that is, someone tolerates, but the children do not.”
TELEMUNDO 20 told the story of this migrant family on May 10, with less than 24 hours left for Title 42’s immigration policy to expire. And a week later, Venegas reported that he, his wife, Carolina; Her daughter, Valeria, 13, and her little boy, Mattias, 7, are in Los Angeles, starting a new life.
“It’s priceless… so happy because you don’t have to look back, which is probably going to hurt you, completely calm, fantastic peace of mind, I really hadn’t felt that in a long time,” They said.
Back then, at his young age, Mattias was already very clear about what he wanted to be when he grew up, telling us that he wanted to be a football player.
A dream that seemed impossible amid those odds, but now, with the ball in hand, is getting closer to achieving it.
Venegas assured that the immigration entry process was quick, and explained that he spent approximately 5 hours in a detention center, where he was fingerprinted, photographed, and provided with food and blankets.
Venegas said, “The interview was not extensive, it was a matter of 5 minutes.”
“There is an immigration stamp where there is provision 212D5, it’s immigration regulation which says that for humanitarian reasons where it is in the public interest, expedited entry is granted to people who are in an emergency who cannot return to their country of origin That’s where this family was classified, the parents were there, they were minors, they were on the run, and they were not Mexican and could not be immediately returned to Mexico, and they applied for asylum. submitted himself to the request, which is a defense against removal and deportation,” said Esther Valdes, an immigration attorney.
Vanegas and his family moved in with, but which he assured was not easy to obtain, and said he would risk it again if necessary.
“If I would do it again, if my family was in danger, I would do it again, I always wish them well,” the father said.
Families like hers who managed to enter the country before Title 42 expired have 60 days to appear with the Immigration and Customs Control Service, where they will be served a summons and thus begin their legal process. Will be
According to Immigration Lawyers, there are currently about 2.2 million immigration cases in immigration courts, and in jurisdictions like Los Angeles, a political asylum case can take about 5 years.
