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Stories from Honduras 

Earlier this year, a young boy fled from his home in Honduras after enduring constant recruitment pressure from a local gang.  He refused to join, believing that membership would compromise his religious beliefs and morals.  Consequently, the gang members threatened him with violence that included holding a gun to his head and sending him a letter soaked in blood.  Increasingly his family feared for his life with the mounting incidents.

When he arrived in the United States, the federal immigration authorities placed him in a detention facility and later released him to his extended family in New York.  The Center matched him with a team of attorneys to ensure that he would receive proper legal assistance so he could file for asylum protection. 

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Abandoned by her father at birth, a 17-year-old girl suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather who began beating and slapping her at the age of 6.  He also refused to give her food. Her biological mother was unable to prevent the abuse, and in fact contributed to it by calling her daughter cruel names. She turned to the police, but they turned the other way and denied her assistance.  She saw no alternative but to run away.

After arriving in the U.S. in April 2005, she was detained in Houston. The young girl has been seeing a psychologist and attending English classes. The Center is now seeking pro bono counsel to represent her.  We hope she will find additional social services and support to help her start a new chapter in her life in the United States.