It was midnight when the calls to ProBAR staff began. Guatemalan children were being pulled from their beds in shelters across the state, rushed onto buses, and driven under the cover of darkness to a small border town airport in Harlingen, Texas. Deep into the Labor Day weekend, the U.S. government had launched a new effort to expeditiously return immigrant children—alone and terrified—back to Guatemala.
For many migrants seeking safety and opportunity, South Texas is the first stop in their immigration journey.
Whether children, adults, or families, they have traveled to the United States from countries around the world as changing circumstances at home affect their security and stability. Many arrive at our border seeking protection from violence and persecution. They face tremendous obstacles to winning immigration relief. Access to legal information and representation give them a chance to gain safety and stability in the United States and begin contributing to our society in myriad ways.
