YSIDRO, Calif. – There are many questions surrounding why thousands of Central Americans children are setting off alone and risking their lives to migrate to the United States.

One woman who made that journey wants to shine a light on the issue.

Kenia Calderon was just 11 years old when her family fled El Salvador nine years ago, after she says their neighborhood was overrun by gangs, crime and a general feeling of despair.

"The violence was horrible,” she stresses. “You know, you just didn't feel safe, and gang members would kidnap girls and force them into the gangs and make them be sex slaves."

Calderon says the economic and political situations in many Central American countries and Mexico have deteriorated because their economies have failed to produce jobs, which in turn fuels hopelessness and violence.

In El Salvador, police report so far this year the murders of children 17 and under are up 77 percent from a year ago, while a city in northwestern Honduras has the world's highest homicide rate, according to the United Nations.

Calderon rejects the notion that children are being sent to the U.S. by their parents because they think some sort of window of lax border enforcement has opened up.

She says children subjected to rampant daily violence and horrific conditions are forced to grow up very quickly.

"They're the ones making the decision, and sometimes they just tell their family, 'I'm coming, be ready for me,’ because they cannot wait for anything, for any change,” she relates. “They know that nothing's going to change that's going to better their lives."

Calderon points out the record-high number of deportations under the Obama administration is well-known in Central America, but many desperate youths still feel migration is their best hope.

She says children have actually been fleeing these countries for several years, a fact well documented by groups such as the Pew Hispanic Trust.

"A lot of Americans feel like the situation is being exaggerated, and I feel like it's because we lack a sense of curiosity,” she maintains. “I think we need to be aware a lot more of what's going on around the world, not just in the countries that benefit us."

Calderon hopes more Americans will take the time to research what is happening and why, and instead of using the situation for political gain, to look for ways to help families reunite, to treat immigrants with respect and to take a long look at U.S. policies in the region.

"I feel like we all should be looking for another solution that will help these kids, because this is a cry for help,” she says. “Something must be done, not because they want to win the next election, but because we are humans."

This story was made possible in part by the Voqal Fund.





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Immigrant's rights advocates are displeased with the provisions
for New York City's budget. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams budget proposal, the city could be caring for 70,000 asylum seekers by June 2024, costing the city around $4.3 billion. Critics also said the proposal is unduly expensive, but New York City will keep welcoming immigrants.

"In the school system we need a three million dollar investment in English Language Learner Transfer School Programs. We need an additional 75 million dollars to hire additional social workers to help support students in need, especially newcomers," said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of New York Immigration Coalition.

Awadeh added they city needs other programs to help immigrants, including renewed funding for legal services programs through a $31.1 million investment for Action-N-Y-C and Admin Immigrant Opportunity Initiative. Meanwhile, the recently passed New York State budget allocates $43 million for additional funding for the Office for New Americans. This provides immigrants with free legal services, mental health support, workforce development, and English language learning.

But, Awawdeh explained the Adams Administration has been scapegoating immigrants as a means of passing off failures. This comes as Mayor Adams announced he will be bussing willing migrants
to communities throughout Upstate New York following the end of Title 42. Awawdeh said the city's leadership needs to aspire to different goals when it comes to immigrants.

"What we do need is for leadership in this moment to unite people, to serve people, and to ensure that our city is building up the infrastructure it needs to continue to be a beacon of hope for all people across the world who want to come here," Awawdeh continued.

He added after three years of the Covid-19 pandemic, people need to have employment, educational and legal supports in place to ensure they're on the road to a stable recovery.


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Thousands of immigrants arrive in the United States every year, knowing very little about the language, culture and civic ways of their new homeland.

Asian and Pacific Islanders are a growing part of America's immigrant community, accounting for 15% of all migrants. One nonprofit, the Asian and Pacific Islanders Vote-Michigan, serves as a bridge for newcomers, helping them get settled, learn the language and most importantly, navigate civic engagement and voting.

Rebeka Islam, executive director of the group, said unlike some other groups, Asian and Pacific migrants come from a wide variety of backgrounds.

"When you say Asian Americans, you're talking about 30-plus countries, 30-plus ethnicities, 30-plus languages, and for the most part, government," Islam explained. "Getting involved in civic engagement is not pretty accessible from countries that most of our folks come from."

According to the Census Bureau, 20.6 million people identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, making up 6.2% of the nation's population. While the majority live in large cities on the east and west coasts, the bureau estimates about 45,000 Asians live in Michigan.

Islam believes the most important thing her group does is help migrants register to vote, understand how the American voting system works and how to find out about the candidates. She emphasized it is important for her group to be represented at the ballot box.

"We get the information, we follow up and say, 'Hey, we registered you. There's an election coming. Here's what's on the ballot. This is what you can do, and this is what you can't do,' " Islam outlined. "We never tell anyone who to vote for, but we always tell them, 'This is your right; this is how you can vote.' "

Asian and Pacific Islanders Vote-Michigan hosts seminars on language, schools, housing and other basic life skills, as well as sponsoring naturalization ceremonies. Islam added like many immigrants; they may face hostility or even violence because of their race or ethnicity. She stressed they provide a space where people can feel safe.

"We really just try to meet our community where they are, get the message across and just give them the information that they need," Islam stated. "We serve like a community hub, basically for the community, with resources for the community."


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Providers of community IDs for North Carolina's immigrant communities say proposed legislation banning police officers and local governments from recognizing the alternative IDs as valid could have crippling effects on families.

House Bill 167 would restrict the use of cards issued to immigrants through the FaithAction ID Network. More than 15,000 residents in North Carolina and other states currently rely on FaithAction IDs.

María González, deputy director of the nonprofit group El Pueblo, said community IDs were created as a stopgap solution for individuals banned from receiving state licenses because they lack the required documentation.

"Medical care, participating in the cultural and business life of our community, getting a library card, picking up a kid from school," González outlined.

Supporters of the bill argued community-issued IDs pose security risks for communities. FaithAction explained in order to receive an ID, program participants are required to attend an orientation on the benefits and limitations of the card and sign a simple Memorandum of Understanding.

González added FaithAction IDs are designed to help people navigate daily life, and pointed out they cannot be used to vote or access federal benefits.

"We hope that there's a compassionate way that we can be reassured that our communities feel safe, are safe, that people are who they say they are," González emphasized. "But not at the expense of more vulnerable communities."

Research shows community IDs help reduce fear of interacting with law enforcement and witnesses and victims of crime are more likely to talk to police officers if they have an ID card.