Journey of Hope: Venezuelan Family Faces New Asylum Restrictions

A Long Road to the Border

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – Diana, along with her two young children, her father, and her teenage brother David, arrived in Ciudad Juarez with their eyes set on El Paso, Texas, just across the Rio Grande. After a grueling three-month journey from Venezuela, they hoped to find safety and a new beginning in the United States.

“We went through the jungle in the Darien Gap, Panama, and then here,” Diana shared, her voice tinged with exhaustion. The family, wary of jeopardizing their asylum claim, requested that their last names not be used.

Facing New Challenges

Their arrival coincided with new restrictions imposed by President Joe Biden’s recent executive actions, which limit most asylum claims at the southern border. According to these rules, when unauthorized crossings exceed an average of 2,500 migrants over seven days, stricter measures are enacted. This new threshold requires migrants to make an appointment through the government’s mobile app, CBP One, to petition for asylum.

Diana and her family, unaware of these new requirements, had hoped to cross the border and seek asylum directly. “It cost us a lot to get here,” Diana said. Her brother David added, “When we got here they told us the border had closed. We were disappointed.”

Struggling with New Realities

Without an appointment, the family attempted to cross the Rio Grande on foot, only to be immediately turned back by U.S. border patrol agents. Diana described the moment as frightening and disheartening. Misinformation on social media had led them to believe that showing up at the border would suffice.

“They won’t let us in,” she said, feeling defeated. On her 29th birthday, instead of celebrating, the family found temporary refuge at a city-run shelter near the international bridge, among many other hopeful migrants from across Latin America.

Finding Strength in Faith

Amidst their trials, the family clung to their faith. The biblical passage from Corinthians 10:10 served as a reminder not to grumble in the face of adversity: “And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel.” Likewise, Luke 1:79 offered them a sense of direction and peace: “To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Diana’s journey underscores the reality many migrants face today—caught between hope and harsh new policies. As they wait in Ciudad Juarez, they continue to lean on their faith, hoping for a future where their trials may transform into blessings, guided by a higher power.