Tens of thousands of people arrive at the United States border each year seeking refuge from violence, torture and trafficking, but they often have nothing more than their own words to substantiate their claims for political asylum.
One by one, they enter the complex legal process to determine if their story demonstrates a credible threat to their safety. Many of them arrive to their hearings exhausted and hopeless, which can interfere with their ability to paint a full picture of what life was like in the country they’re trying to escape.
Without enough evidence to support their stories of gang violence, discrimination or abuse, they’re often deported back into the same risky environment they tried to leave behind.
