Starting From Zero: A Guatemalan Family’s Journey to Asylum
“I think that when you are in danger in your own country, the only option you have is to leave,” Darwin starts. He’s wearing a white button-up shirt and sitting in the living room of what’s become his home in the last five years. Now 43 years old, Darwin runs two small businesses and raises his teenage sons in Stamford, Connecticut.
In 2016, Darwin was living with his family in Guatemala City—an executive with an MBA and a specialization in agricultural engineering, a stable life, and no plans to leave. Most of his extended family was living in the country, other than his brother Eduardo. Darwin was very close to Eduardo’s daughter, Lindaura, and he would often call his 13-year-old niece who lived in Coatepeque near the Mexican border with her mother. Lindaura’s grandfather, Álvaro Alfredo Aceituno, was a prominent journalist known for exposing corruption, including the local mayor’s ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. In June 2016, Lindaura’s grandfather was assassinated. A month later, Lindaura’s mother, who had publicly blamed the cartel, was murdered in her car while driving with her children. Lindaura was shot but survived the attack.
Darwin recalls the months that followed the death of his sister-in-law and her father as living through a nightmare. Fearing the rest of the family would be targeted, he helped move Lindaura and everyone to Guatemala City. But the threats followed. A local human rights organization sheltered them and connected Darwin with federal prosecutors and the U.S. embassy. Darwin shared evidence of corruption and cartel infiltration, but soon after, he began receiving death threats. When Lindaura identified one of the gunmen in video footage, Guatemalan authorities warned Darwin they could no longer ensure his safety. U.S. officials urged the family to leave the country. On October 11, 2016, Darwin, his wife, and sons fled to the U.S. to seek asylum.
“It was difficult for us because we didn’t know what was next,” Darwin said. Once they arrived in the U.S. they were transferred to a notorious family detention center called Berks in Pennsylvania. Darwin felt a lot of sympathy for the other people detained in the center, many of whom couldn’t speak English or had been detained for over six months.
“I felt lucky that we were only there for 2 weeks,” he said. “Imagine you don’t know the process, the asylum process… we are here for many reasons, and we definitely need legal support to know what to do. If you are with kids, it’s even worse.”
Human Rights First met Darwin and his family while they were in Berks and helped them with their case. It took nearly four years for Darwin’s family to be granted asylum.
The waiting, Darwin says, was one of the hardest parts. After being released from detention, he had to wait eight months to receive a work permit and be able to financially support his family. “Housing here is very expensive. Being able to pay rent, to pay for food, and everything for your family. It’s not just leaving your country, it’s also surviving the first 6-12 months in a new one.”
Diana Diaz Madera, a social worker and mental health provider who consults for Human Rights First, sees this struggle every day. “I’ve seen individuals arrive with some hope, only to have their symptoms worsen within the first year due to the stress and lack of support,” she said. PTSD, anxiety, and depression are common — and exacerbated by processing delays and a lack of economic support.
“It’s crucial to address all social determinants of health, including immigration status, and recognize how long processing times for asylum cases and work permits significantly impact individuals’ quality of life and sense of belonging,” Diana said.
Darwin’s experience echoes this. “You’re coming from a country where you have everything, and then you move to a different country where you have nothing. You start from zero, looking for a job, looking for food. You are afraid. You cannot go back to your home country because you know that you will be killed.”
Darwin started smiling when he recalled the day he and his family were granted asylum. “It was the best day of my life here in the United States. I am always grateful to Human Rights First and my lawyers for the support.”
Lindaura and the extended family received refugee status in the U.S. and now live in Los Angeles. He recalls a call with them a year ago where someone asked him if it was worth it – the economic uncertainty, and the journey to seek asylum in the U.S. “Yes,” he answered, “It was worth it to keep my family safe.”
Darwin’s sons, now 14 and 17, are thriving in school. His eldest dreams of becoming an entrepreneur like his father. Darwin launched two companies in Connecticut: one sells organic lawn care products, and the other imports peppers from Guatemala.
His long-term dream is to start a fund to help other newly arrived asylum seekers through their first difficult months in the U.S.
“I think it’s really important to help people seeking asylum, especially in those first 6 months. That economic support is invaluable. So this is my goal eventually. If I can make enough money, I’d like to start a fund to support people seeking asylum.”
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If you’d like to support people like Darwin and Diana’s clients, you can donate to our Client Emergency Fund. The CEF helps provide food security, warm meals, blankets and pillows, and clothing for those recently released from detention centers and recent arrivals to the United States.
