Separated: Inside an American Tragedy

by Jacob Soboroff

“The separation of father and child hurts in my heart. When I asked them to fight my asylum case they didn’t allow me. They are deporting me without even knowing. I feel like the government here is treating me really bad. I feel ignored,” Juan wrote. “I’m human. The government is treating me really bad, but I forgive them.” That line, after writing it, was crossed out by Juan. But he continued. “The separation has affected me a lot. I don’t think I will ever be able to forget this. I don’t think that will ever be OK and I am going crazy. I am in an inhumane situation. This does not have a name. I just think how somebody of my age, an adult who understands how life works a little more than a child, is suffering so much. I cannot imagine the pain that my son is going through. I just pray and hope that all of this pain is worth it at the end because I fear that even after all this pain, I will still be deported and this trauma will not be worth it and my life will again be in danger. I fear they will deport me. This does not have a name for me.”