© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A Haitian Odyssey E1: Texas

Roberto Martinez, TPR
Dachka, 24, crosses the Rio Grande after leaving the camp under the Del Rio International Bridge on Sept. 20, 2021. She said she feared being deported back to Haiti.

When thousands of Haitians – like Dachka and Exode – arrived in the unlikely border town of Del Rio, Texas, they hoped they were crossing the finish line of an arduous immigration journey. But when the U.S. started flying some families back to Haiti (including their South American children) migrants were forced to make a critical decision: stay in the U.S. migrant camp and risk expulsion – or return to Mexico.

Read more reporting from the Houston Chronicle: Inside the brutal 10,000-mile journey Haitian migrants make in search of a home

TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today.

Elizabeth Trovall covers stories about the economy for Marketplace with an emphasis on immigration and healthcare.<br/><br/>Prior to her post, she covered immigration for the Houston Chronicle and for the NPR affiliate in Houston, Houston Public Media.
Joey Palacios can be reached atJoey@TPR.org and on Twitter at @Joeycules
Sofía Sánchez can be reached at tpr.sofia@gmail.com and on Twitter at @sofiahanalei