Trump realities drive migrants to reroute their American Dream

Guatemala City, Guatemala CNN — Six months ago Francisco Fortín was attacked by gangs wielding machetes in his home country of Honduras, he said, an act of violence that cemented a decision to quit his impoverished and trouble-plagued homeland. Asked if their final destination of the US was off the table, Fortín replied: “The destination is wherever we can work.” Migrants interviewed by CNN in Guatemala City – from Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Sierra Leone and Cameroon – echoed that sentiment. They left Venezuela five months ago, he said, and had reached Guatemala’s border with Mexico, but had not crossed, saying that with cartels preying on migrants, it was too dangerous to linger in Mexico without assurances they’d be able to make it into the US. Evelio Contreras/CNN His wife, Waleska Veliz, 26, said she understood Trump’s wish to rid the US of violent immigrants such as members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, and supports the US strictly vetting migrants, but she felt it unjust to have blanket action against everyone. “If there is no legal pathway to get in then I must choose any of the South American countries to seek asylum there.” Unfulfilled dreams Orlando Chajchic was deported two weeks before Trump took office, but he said he had seen enough in detention and the changing attitudes in the US to not want to return.