Out of Honduras into the U.S.
When you are barbecuing chicken for lunch with friends into the a quiet afternoon, Kataleya Nativi Baca gotten the decision she would already been hoping to rating for over a-year.
Kataleya Nativi Baca, a good transgender girl out of Honduras, waits in-line to go into this new Mexican Payment having Refugee Aid from inside the Tapachula for the , the afternoon before leaving getting Tijuana on U.S./Mexico border. Baca says she did not feel comfortable in Tapachula on account of discrimination, threats, xenophobia and “disgust” she confronted. Danielle Villasana to have NPR mask caption
Kataleya Nativi Baca, good transgender girl off Honduras, delays lined up to go into the new Mexican Commission to have Refugee Support inside Tapachula on the , the afternoon before you leave to have Tijuana for the U.S./Mexico border. Baca claims she didn’t feel comfortable within the Tapachula because of discrimination, threats, xenophobia and you will “disgust” she faced.
It had been , from inside the Tijuana, Mexico, almost 2 years due to the fact 29-year-old leftover Honduras shortly after she claims a family member overcome the woman right up, fracturing this lady collarbone.
“Inside my nation there’s absolutely no coming for [LGBTQ+] anyone,” claims Baca, who is a beneficial transgender girl. “Really the only upcoming i’ve is actually demise.”
Whenever she escaped the lady domestic “instance an excellent fugitive from the night,” Baca oriented into this new U.S., where she hoped to seek defense. In the San Pedro Sula, Honduras, she got sustained discrimination, risks and you can discipline from members of the family, residents and you may group players while the teens.
Baca wished you to definitely things would be other inside her brand new home. “Perhaps on the other side, I will feel the lives We have never had inside my nation,” she claims.
In terms of Baca’s travels, she states she “would not wish to they toward anybody.” She entered the fresh Suchiate Lake anywhere between Mexico and you can Guatemala following remained when you look at the Tapachula to your south edging for most days. When she earliest turned up, she had no money and you can slept on the roads. She finally made it in order to Tijuana in .
She thought the lady count might be called as much as . However the boundaries closed indefinitely on account of COVID-19 and you can she try stuck in Mexico without any notion of when she might be able to enter the U.S.
Baca grabbed a weeks-enough time travels because of the coach into the Mexico within her travel to another household, at some point paying down throughout the U.S. The above photo was out of . Danielle Villasana to possess NPR hide caption
Baca grabbed an era-enough time travels from the coach in the Mexico within the lady trip to another family, eventually paying off on You.S. The above images are of .
When she earliest surely got to Tijuana she obtained a variety that will give her a sense of when she would be able so you can officially sign up for asylum and you can hopefully enter the Us
Baca lived in several shelters. In one, she very first is actually friendly to your planner, but once she had a boyfriend “everything changed” she states, in addition to coordinator desired the woman to move aside. On a single event, brand new coordinator “arrived at scream because if a demon are to the your,” she states. The guy sooner strike her. Fundamentally, she gone during the together with her sweetheart, but one of their brand new landlords are transphobic and you may endangered this lady. Within the worry to own Baca’s defense, their attorney registered a humanitarian parole demand so you’re able to automate the fresh procedure for bringing the girl across the border.
Thereon afternoon for the Tijuana, whenever got ultimately already been. “You’re going to go into the United states. Done well,” said their lawyer’s secretary toward mobile. Weeping, Baca mutual the news together members of the family.
Two days later on, towards the , she moved through the San Ysidro Vent off Entry anywhere between Tijuana and you will Hillcrest in identical pants she wore whenever leaving Honduras. Advised to create one to brief suitcase, the thing Baca you will definitely think about so you can package as well as a few sets out of clothes try an excellent prayer card – along with her log. Of the many the girl assets, the latest record are key.