Migrants at San Luis shelter await next steps in journey to the United States
SAN LUIS, Mexico (KYMA) - A migrant shelter in San Luis, Mexico continues to shelter migrants waiting to seek asylum in the United States.
"The American dream...what they call it," said Agustin Jauregui, a shelter occupant.
Shelter Don Chon currently has multiple migrants trying to reach the United States to live the American dream.
This includes a man and his wife, who have been living at the shelter for more than six months. His wife is 37 weeks pregnant.
The couple is waiting for their baby to be born before continuing their journey to the United States.
"Leaving and going to the United States and having a better life over there. That's the end goal…a better life," Jauregui shared.
The couple says they hope to reach the United States in the next several months, but their timeline depends on the baby's birth and their ability to legally continue the immigration process.
Erika Raigosa, 24, says she wants to come to America to live the American dream for herself and her family.
"Yes, mainly for our kids so they can be better prepared in life," Raigosa said.
According to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, getting an asylum decision can take up to six years.
However, an interim rule allows immigration services to refer asylum applications to immigration judges without the first immigration interview. The change is intended to reduce the asylum backlog.
As for 38-year-old Dante Ray O'Hare from Norway, he has been living at the shelter for more than a year and says he is ready to return home.
"Go back to Norway and live out the rest of my days because America is a bit tough. I want to get back to my mountains," O'Hare said.
Ascension Serna, Shelter Don Chon's founder, said some people will do whatever it takes to seek asylum.
"Migrants don't care how hard it is to cross the border because if they stay in their cities, they risk their lives," said Serna, the shelter's founder.
Shelter Don Chon currently helps migrants, but it also assists many other people who are struggling.
