The Asylum Seekers

In recent local and worldly news, you have probably heard about the “broken immigration system.” The purpose of this article isn't to persuade you to side with the Democrats or Republicans but to show you a different perspective—the perspective of the asylum seekers.

First, it is essential to know some facts. The fact is that about 400 asylum seekers are living just outside of Buffalo. Single adults and families are spread out across three different hotels. New York State abides by the right to shelter law, which states if you have no place to stay, no matter what, NYS must shelter and feed you. 

Over the summer, I volunteered with my church to spend time at the hotels. Every Wednesday in August, I would spend time with the kids. On my first day, I didn't know what to expect. With everything that I heard in the media, I didn't know what I would be faced with. When I arrived, I was greeted by the kindest and most gracious kids I have ever met. Instantly, kids flooded out the doors to see what the commotion was. They were welcomed with toys, coloring supplies, and new people to play with. I met a timid seven year old girl whose primary language was Spanish. We communicated as much as we could, and she told me that she had a little brother. It was evident that she was fiercely protective of him. She seemed scared by the new people, the environment, and the music. As the hours went on, I learned more about the people, their children, and the journey that they had been on. 

People from Russia, Ukraine, Venezuela, and many more places were there. The mix of cultures and languages all varied, but the need for security and hope stayed the same throughout. One kid who profoundly impacted me was a 12-year-old boy with the biggest smile I've ever seen. I met him the third week I was there; he also exclusively spoke Spanish. We giggled with each other while I spoke broken Spanish and repeatedly said, "No se!!" (I don't know!) As the time with him went on, I came to understand all that he's been through. He and his older brother went on the journey of a lifetime. I had the chance to talk with them about their story, and they gave me permission to include it in this article. First, their family had to cross the jungle between Colombia and Panama called the "Darien Gap." It took their family a total of four days to cross it. He explains that some people didn't survive this trek because of the dangers of animals, including snakes, and drowning while crossing rivers. After arriving in Panama, they had to venture through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. When they arrived in Mexico and crossed the Rio Bravo, they took a humanitarian flight to Buffalo. The journey that they went on for a better life is one that I could never imagine. After hearing about this story, I realized there is not much attention given to the human part of the immigration crisis. I can't even imagine what other things they encountered, but I do know that this little boy has more strength than I will ever have. 

I hope this article gives you a different perspective on the people who may be negatively portrayed in the media. The children that arrived in a brand new country hoping to escape the destruction in their homes. The children who may grow up and make lives for themselves just to be turned away because the court dates hearings are so backlogged. In reality, they are just children. Children who have been dealt a bad hand.