17-year-old Lilian tells the story of fleeing death threats in El Salvador and coming to the United States alone.
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Violent crime perpetrated by the “maras”, as the gangs are known, has claimed the lives of 7,500 young Salvadorans since mid-2014. Tens of thousands of Salvadorans, among them large numbers of unaccompanied minors, feel they have no choice but to flee the country.
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Central American children fleeing serious threats face formidable obstacles in applying for asylum in Mexico.
Human Rights Watch has documented wide discrepancies between Mexican law and practice. By law, Mexico offers protection to those who face risks to their lives or safety if returned to their countries of origin. But less than 1 percent of children who are apprehended by Mexican immigration authorities are recognized as refugees, according to Mexican government data.
In 2014, 90,000 unaccompanied minors made the treacherous journey from Central America to the United States. No longer are people simply fleeing poverty, now they are fleeing for their lives.
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