“They’ll Kill Me If I’m Sent Back”

Ginger didn’t know where she was or where she was going, but she didn’t stop running until she reached a busy intersection. When she encountered a concerned stranger, Ginger’s words came out in a tearful rush as she told the woman what had happened. 

The woman gave Ginger bus money, and the teen made her way back to her home in Tegucigalpa (teh-goo-see-GAHL-puh), the capital of Honduras.

There, her grandfather, who she lived with, had been frantic with worry.

He raced Ginger to the police station to report her kidnapping. But it wasn’t long before they realized that the officers weren’t on their side. In Honduras, police are often corrupt and work with the drug cartels.

Ginger did not know where she was or where she was going. But she did not stop running until she reached a busy intersection. Then she met a concerned stranger. Ginger’s words came out in a tearful rush as she told the woman what had happened.

The woman gave Ginger bus money. The teen made her way back to her home in Tegucigalpa (teh-goo-see-GAHL-puh). That is the capital of Honduras.

Her grandfather, who she lived with, was there. He had been frantic with worry.

He raced Ginger to the police station to report her kidnapping. But they soon realized that the officers were not on their side. In Honduras, police are often corrupt and work with the drug cartels.

Not only did the police brush off her story, Ginger was afraid they’d return her to the kidnappers if she said too much. There is no justice in my country, she thought as they left the police station.

A few days later, Ginger’s grandfather told her she had to leave Honduras for her own safety. Ginger’s mother had fled the Central American country years earlier after surviving a violent attack of her own. She was now living illegally in Detroit, Michigan. Ginger, her grandfather said, must try to join her.

So in January 2018, just after she turned 16, Ginger said goodbye to the only home she’d known. Then she set out on a dangerous 3,000-mile journey to the United States.

The police brushed off Ginger’s story. Ginger was afraid they would return her to the kidnappers if she said too much. There is no justice in my country, she thought. She and her grandfather left the police station.

A few days later, Ginger’s grandfather told her she had to leave Honduras for her own safety. Ginger’s mother had fled the Central American country years earlier. That was after she survived a violent attack herself. She was now living illegally in Detroit, Michigan. Ginger, her grandfather said, must try to join her.

So in January 2018, Ginger said goodbye to the only home she had known. She had just turned 16. She set out on a dangerous 3,000-mile journey to the United States.

It might be hard to imagine a teen making such a trek alone. After all, many kids in the U.S. have strict curfews set by their parents and are allowed to venture out solo only to certain parts of their towns.

But about 38,000 children from Central America arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian in 2018 alone. They’re part of a larger surge of people making the journey to this country from that region.

Many of those arriving in the U.S. say their lives are at risk in their home countries, and some ask to be allowed to stay for that reason. The process for doing so is called seeking asylum, and the number of migrants arriving in the U.S. who are requesting it has soared in recent years (see "The Asylum Crisis" sidebar, below).

But as Ginger learned, getting to the U.S. to ask for asylum can be as dangerous as what migrants like her are trying to escape at home.

It might be hard to imagine a teen making such a trek alone. After all, many kids in the U.S. have strict curfews set by their parents. Many are allowed to venture out solo only to certain parts of their towns.

But in 2018 alone, about 38,000 children from Central America arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian. They are part of a large surge of people making the journey to this country from that region.

Many of those people arriving in the U.S. say their lives are at risk in their home countries. That is why some ask to be allowed to stay. The process for doing so is called seeking asylum. The number of migrants arriving in the U.S. who are asking for asylum has soared in recent years (see "The Asylum Crisis" sidebar, below).

But as Ginger has learned, getting to the U.S. to ask for asylum can be difficult. It can be as dangerous as what migrants like her are trying to escape at home.

Ginger technically wasn’t by herself on her journey from Honduras to the U.S. Her grandfather had hired a human smuggler, commonly known as a coyote, to guide her on the trip.

Over the course of a grueling 22 days, Ginger traveled by bus, by car, and on foot. She had just one small bag that held three pairs of pants and three shirts. The only shoes she had were the ones on her feet. Some days, Ginger walked so far in those shoes she’d get leg cramps painful enough to make her cry. 

At night, she and the coyote often slept outside—even though Ginger didn’t have a jacket. She was often hungry and thirsty because she wasn’t able to carry food or water.

The coyote treated her well, but Ginger lived in a constant state of fear. At night, she hardly slept. There were a lot of other migrants around—including many men—and she was afraid one of them would attack her at night.

After three weeks of travel, Ginger finally arrived at the Rio Grande. That river marks the border between Texas and Mexico. She got into a boat with four other people to cross the river even though she didn’t know how to swim.

They made it across safely, stepping illegally onto U.S. soil without passing through a U.S. Border Patrol station. Ginger walked for several hours before immigration authorities spotted her. Exhausted and terrified, she didn’t run.

Ginger technically was not by herself on her journey from Honduras to the U.S. Her grandfather had hired a human smuggler to guide her on the trip. Such a person is commonly known as a coyote.

It took a grueling 22 days. Ginger traveled by bus, by car, and on foot. She had just one small bag. It held three pairs of pants and three shirts. The only shoes she had were the ones on her feet. Some days, Ginger walked so far in those shoes that she would get leg cramps painful enough to make her cry.

At night, she and the coyote often slept outside, even though Ginger did not have a jacket. She was often hungry and thirsty because she was not able to carry food or water.

The coyote treated her well. But Ginger lived in a constant state of fear. At night, she hardly slept. A lot of other migrants were around, including many men. She was afraid one of them would attack her at night.

After three weeks of travel, Ginger finally arrived at the Rio Grande. That river marks the border between Texas and Mexico. She did not know how to swim. But she got into a boat with four other people to cross the river.

They made it across safely. They stepped illegally onto U.S. soil without passing through a U.S. Border Patrol station. Ginger walked for several hours before immigration authorities spotted her. Exhausted and terrified, she did not run.

Once in the custody of Border Patrol agents, Ginger was taken to an immigration facility where many other migrants were being held. She slept on the floor that night. 

The following day, Ginger was transferred to a large detention facility in Texas where other children who’d traveled alone from Central America were being held. While there, Ginger began communicating with her mother. Like all the other kids there, she was allowed to make one phone call per week. If the person didn’t answer, they’d have to wait another week before they could try again. Luckily, Ginger’s mother always picked up.

After two months at the detention facility, Ginger was released to her mother in April 2018.

Once in the custody of Border Patrol agents, Ginger was taken to an immigration facility. Many other migrants were being held there. She slept on the floor that night.

The next day, Ginger was moved to a large detention facility in Texas. Other children who had traveled alone from Central America were being held there. While at the facility, Ginger began communicating with her mother. Like all the other kids there, she was allowed to make one phone call per week. If the person did not answer, they would have to wait another week before they could try again. Luckily, Ginger’s mother always picked up.

Ginger spent two months at the detention facility. Then, in April 2018, she was released to her mother.

A week after being reunited with her mother, Ginger enrolled in a Detroit high school. It was lonely at first because she didn’t speak English and she couldn’t talk to anyone. But after a few days, some students who spoke Spanish befriended her. Along with her new teachers, they’ve started helping her learn English. Things have been getting better since.

Not long after Ginger arrived in Detroit, her mother’s boyfriend heard about a local lawyer who helps undocumented migrants apply for asylum in the U.S. After hearing Ginger’s story, the lawyer agreed to take her case. 

With her lawyer’s help, Ginger’s application for asylum has been filed. It could take up to three years for the government to rule on her case. While her claim is being considered, Ginger can’t be deported. But if she’s denied asylum, she’ll likely be sent back to Honduras. 

Ginger, now 17, knows that some Americans feel hostility toward immigrants like her who’ve entered the U.S. illegally. She wants people to know that she came here because of the injustices in her country. In the U.S., she believes, kids don’t have to be afraid.

If she’s allowed to stay, Ginger hopes to become a psychologist. She wants to help other people heal from traumatic experiences—the way she’s healing now.

Despite the uncertainties she faces, Ginger knows in her heart that it was worth risking her life to come to the U.S. Here, she finally feels safe. 

A week after being reunited with her mother, Ginger enrolled in a Detroit high school. It was lonely at first. She did not speak English, which made it hard to talk to anyone. But after a few days, some students who spoke Spanish befriended her. Along with her new teachers, they have started helping her learn English. Things have been getting better since.

Not long after Ginger arrived in Detroit, her mother’s boyfriend heard about a local lawyer who helps undocumented migrants apply for asylum in the U.S. After hearing Ginger’s story, the lawyer agreed to take her case.

With her lawyer’s help, Ginger’s application for asylum has been filed. It could take up to three years for the government to rule on her case. While her claim is being considered, Ginger cannot be deported. But if she is denied asylum, she will likely be sent back to Honduras.

Ginger, now 17, knows that some Americans feel hostility toward immigrants like her who have entered the U.S. illegally. She wants people to know that she came here because of the injustices in her country. In the U.S., she believes, kids do not have to be afraid.

If she is allowed to stay, Ginger hopes to become a psychologist. She wants to help other people heal from traumatic experiences, the way she is healing now.

Despite the uncertainties she faces, Ginger knows in her heart that it was worth risking her life to come to the U.S. She finally feels safe here.