Colombian Family Fights for Asylum in the U.S.
Claribeth and Oswald, a Colombian couple with their nine-year-old son, Jacob, sought refuge at the U.S. southern border in a bid to escape life-threatening circumstances back home. Their hope for a better future took an unexpected turn as they encountered hurdles within the asylum process. Nonetheless, the community’s support in Los Angeles has been instrumental in helping them persevere during these challenging times.
After two years in the United States, Oswald and Jacob faced a daunting setback when they were denied asylum and issued a deportation order on May 14. Just two days earlier, Claribeth was released from the Adelanto Detention Center, where she had endured more than four months under conditions worsened by inadequate medical care.
“We live in constant fear of being detained and deported,” Claribeth explained, emphasizing their precarious situation. To protect their identities, their full names have been withheld.
The previous administration’s stringent regulations have significantly hampered the paths available to refugees and asylum seekers, including serious limitations on work permits. A recent Supreme Court ruling further exacerbated the situation, allowing federal authorities to intercept asylum seekers at the border.
Prolonged Journey to Safety
It took Claribeth and Oswald nine arduous months to reach the U.S. in search of asylum. Their journey began on January 15, 2024, as they traversed through the jungles of Colombia and Panama before making their way through several Central American countries, including Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, finally arriving in Mexico. They made the decision to surrender to U.S. immigration authorities in Matamoros in September of that year after a grueling trek.
After six days in detention, the family was released on September 12, 2024, reuniting with Oswald’s older brother in Los Angeles, who had sought asylum three years prior. Yet, their struggles were far from over. On January 6, 2026, Claribeth was taken into custody under confusing circumstances related to a biometric check-in.
“I was taken away with my hands, waist, and legs bound. It was a terrifying, traumatic experience. When they handed me the orange uniform, I couldn’t understand why,” she recounted, revealing the depth of her fear. Despite being offered voluntary departure to Colombia, she declined, clinging to the hope of a better life in the U.S.
While at Adelanto, she suffered a dislocated shoulder due to a medical condition, enduring hours of pain before fellow detainees helped her. Unfortunately, it took 15 days for her to see a doctor, who could only provide temporary relief with cream. Thanks to the advocacy of Rev. Guillermo Torres and the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, she managed to secure her release without posting bail through a habeas corpus petition.
Following Claribeth’s release, the family’s momentary joy was shattered when Oswald, appearing in court without legal support, was denied asylum, resulting in deportation orders for both him and Jacob. The judge claimed he had failed to renew his asylum status annually, a notification Oswald had never received.
Challenges Intensify
The couple’s separation during the asylum application process only deepened their distress. “We applied for asylum as a family and yet they kept us apart,” Claribeth shared, highlighting the emotional ramifications of their ordeal. Both Oswald and Claribeth had lost their farmland in La Guajira, Colombia, falling victim to threats and violence as they attempted to reclaim it. Documents from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office substantiate their claims.
For Claribeth, the ordeal has been a relentless source of stress; she endured seven court hearings in 18 months prior to her detention. With a looming deadline to appeal their deportation by June 29, the family organized an emergency fundraiser through social media to raise necessary funds.
Despite their efforts, the possibility of deportation hangs heavily over them. “There is a hearing set for July 13, but the fear remains that my partner and child could be deported at any moment,” she expressed anxiously. Rev. Torres remarked on the increasingly difficult landscape for asylum seekers under the former administration, stressing the cruelty of the policies impacting immigrants and their supporters.
Despite recent attempts by the Department of Homeland Security to curb asylum claims by imposing additional fees and obstacles, advocates like Noah Montague from Al Otro Lado, remain resolute. He encourages asylum seekers to persist, asserting, “All of President Trump’s decisions are rooted in politics, not legality, and our legal battles against the administration have borne fruit.”
